Metropole Magazine: 10 Charities Worth Supporting

We review a variety of causes around the FCT in need of your help

Throughout the year, some benevolent souls around the FCT dedicate their time and resources to serving the less fortunate. We don’t all have to this and possibly can’t anyway. But we can help in various ways through volunteering, mentoring, and donations. Below are some charitable organisations we think are worthy of support. If you are inclined to help, please contact them directly and independently assess their areas of need.

FCT School for the Blind: Run by the FCT Administration, the school was founded in 1991 in a two-bedroom apartment in Zuba with two pupils and two teachers, before relocating to Jabi in 2007 with 57 children. It now has a total of 117 visually-impaired pupils. The head teacher, Mrs. Regina Dung stated that some parents abandon their children during vacation so some students don’t return home, which has been a challenge as the government doesn’t feed them during school breaks. But NGOs, churches, mosques and individuals come to teach them, donate money and equipment, provide food and even celebrate their birthdays with the blind and visually-impaired pupils. The school is in need of learning materials, Braille machines and a Braille Embosser which costs over N1m.

Address: No. 15, Audu Ogbeh Street, Jabi
Tel: 08035982724

Free Healthcare Charitable Organization: This community-based organisation was founded in 2005 by Chief Augustine Abu Ali and incorporated in 2007. It provides medical counselling and support services with free testing for people living with HIV/Aids, sickle cell anaemia, hypertension and other kinds of ailments. Youth corps members, students, schools, individuals and the less privileged have all benefited from the initiative, and the team also organises health safety programmes for companies and industries where health is endangered due to pollution and hazard. It also arranges conferences and health talk shows. Financial support has come from volunteer members and friends. “Funding has been a challenge and we have never received anything from the government,” said Chief Ali. “But the passion has kept us going.”

Address: No. 34, Lobito Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja.
Tel: 08053618677
Email: chief_ali @yahoo.com

Mother Theresa Children’s Home: This motherless babies’ home with 46 children from new born to five years old was set up in 2007 by Yeye Bolanle Dare, whose vision is to “lift weary hearts and give comfort to someone in need with a smile, nod, deed or kindness.” Dare is in charge of payment of the children’s school fees at Lead British School, Gwarinpa and the orphanage would like to be supported by well-wishers with toiletries, food, medicine, clothes, toys, shoes, bottled water, diesel, cash or cheques.

Address: House 6, road 353, off 35rd avenue, FHA Gwarinpa, Abuja.
Tel: 0705 775 7777; 0802 885 5554; 0806 600 0600
Email: yeyeorphanage@yahoo.com

Accident Prevention and Rescue Organisation: Set up in 2006, this organization provides road accident prevention and rescue services and initiated the advocacy that brought about the restriction of heavy duty trucks travelling during traffic hours. It also organises seminars on road crash reduction awareness and vehicle administration. It is in need of qualified hands. “We need people for radio advocacy; lawyers who can handle compensation claims for accident victims and sponsors,” said the Director, Prince Fidelis Nnadi. “An ambulance was donated to us by Mulings Ambulance Unit in Dublin, Ireland, but for over a year we have been soliciting for N600, 000 from the FRSC to make it driveable for us in Nigeria, but unfortunately they did not reply. We have taken it upon ourselves to fix the ambulance and it should be ready soon.”

Address: Suite B19, Wuse Shopping Plaza, beside Golden Gate Hotel, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
Tel: 08037051384, 08035887260

The Unique Kingdom Outreach: An establishment focused on helping widows and orphans by donating clothes, food items and money to start businesses, it was set up by Mrs. Bernadette Aipoh four years ago and so far 36 orphans have benefitted from its scholarships. Currently, plans for an orphanage and a lodge for female corps members in Abuja are underway. “We raise money from members, friends, well wishers and people we don’t know,” said Mrs. Aipoh. “But sometimes we don’t get enough for what we want to do. This year, about nine children wrote their WAEC and we paid N25, 000 for each. We also paid the rent for some who are enrolled in the University of Abuja.”

Address: Suite FF5 AGA Memorial Complex, 16 Nkwere Street, Garki Area 11, Abuja.
Tel: 08060600744

Vine Heritage Home for Rescued Babies: This rescue home was set up by Christian missionary, Mr. Olushola Stevens and works with villages around the FCT to change cultural beliefs and prevent the killing, live burial and abandonment of twins and babies whose mothers die within three months of their birth because the villagers believe they are evil. The home was established in 2004 and currently houses 49 children rescued from the villages. But Vine Heritage is not an orphanage and the children are not up for adoption, but are being raised as agents of change for their community. “We get funding from friends and people that visit,” said Mr. Stevens. “We spend a lot of money on food, accommodation and medical care, and the children attend two private schools, one of which gave them a scholarship that only covers their school fees. We will soon move to our new building which is almost completed, but we still have to pay rent for where we are now.”

Address: Opposite Health Centre, Kiyi, Kuje Road
Tel: 08099918105, 08034422935, 092900196
Email: cmfncz@yahoo.co.uk, olusholaajstevens@gmail.com

Zion Orphanage: A shelter for 15 motherless children aged between six months and 18 years, it was founded eleven years ago by Mrs. Blessing Williams who called it her “divine calling”. The orphans’ education is being sponsored by a school that only pays their school fees; every other expense is taken care of by the Orphanage. The home itself is a small, uncompleted building in Lugbe but a new building is being built in nearby Jidi Village. “We are short on finances. Most people who come here only bring food,” said Mrs Williams. “We are yet to do the wiring, painting and fencing for the new building, and a man promised us a borehole a long time ago but he has not responded. Some white people who came here also promised us a bus for the children but we are yet to hear from them.”

Address: Peace Village, FHA Bus Stop, Lugbe, Abuja
Tel: 07057408239, 08034067726

Kubwa Divine Orphanage: A motherless babies’ home that was established in 2011 by Mrs. Gloria Enearu, who enjoys taking care of children and sees the cause as a calling. It takes in abandoned children between ages 0-5. At present, it houses 12 children, and the oldest is a year and five months. Solid Base Nursery and Primary School, Kubwa, has given scholarship to two out of the four children starting school this year. Unity Clinic in Phase 4, Kubwa, also gives free medical check-up to the children. The orphanage is in need of workers (nannies, cooks, and cleaners), food stuffs, toiletries, money and a place they can call their own. “Here is a rented apartment, we pay a lot for it but it’s becoming too small for us, we hope to get a land and build our own place,” Mrs Enearu said.

Address: House No. 16, Mbano Rd, Former Federal Housing Authority, Kubwa, Abuja.
Tel: 08037868391, 07057677559
E-mail: kubwaorphanage@yahoo.com

Ark of Refuge Orphanage: Launched nearly two years ago by Deaconess Evelyn Ajuyah, who runs the cause as a mandate from God. It currently shelters 11 children between the ages of one to five, whose education and total welfare is Ajuya’s responsibility. She works with five staff members who run shifts to take care of the children. “Finance has been a huge challenge,” she said. “A major need is for the children to have a home of their own. We got some land and we hope to start building soon, as we don’t want to pay another N1 million for rent next year.”

Address: House 34, 64 Crescent, phase 4, the junction by Mohammed stores, Kubwa Abuja.
Tel: 08023305384, 07044391604
E-mail: arkofrefugehome.com
Website: www.arkofrefugeorphanage.org

Like Minds Social Engagement Project: A non-profit organisation made up of concerned individuals who give back to society through various activities, it was set up in 2006 by Fatima Kyani Mohammed and seeks to engage its members in various community projects including donations, visit to orphanages and feeding the needy. They also participate in empowerment and literacy sessions like school supply drives, tutoring and mentoring, as well as HIV/AIDS and drug abuse awareness programmes. “The more you give, the more you get yourself, it’s fulfilling”, Mohammed said. “But motivating people to give their time has been one major challenge. A lot of them are busy and want to focus on their own life, they donate money but don’t want to actively participate.”

Email: www.likeminds.project@gmail.com
Website: www.likemindproject.org
Tel: 08035044215

By Joan Adewumi

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