EAGAS GLOBAL CHARITY FOUNDATION
(EGCF)
EAGAS Global Charity Foundation (EGCF) commenced in 2003 as a response to support Women Living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. At that time, government distributed food supplements such as rice and beans to Persons Living with HIV and AIDS at their Monthly meetings.
Children often came clutching the wrappers of their mothers quite a number of them already widowed by the ravaging AIDS pandemic. Not much was known about the disease. Those infected were seen as being very promiscuous. There was no sympathy nor empathy for the effected nor affected and stigma was rift. Stories about the HIV pandemic condemned rather than enlightened. Moreover, women were mainly seen as vectors.
It was at this stage in Nigeria's history of the epidemic that women infected decided to take their destinies in their own hands and chart their own pathos survival. They launched the Association for Women Living With AIDS. During the formal launching ceremony, Augusta Akparanta-Emenogu, who had been actively reporting the HIV pandemic locally and internationally whispered to Special Guest of honor at the occasion, Lydia Ogunmola that she would like to host some of the children who had been coming with their mothers or care givers to the positive people's meetings without receiving any refreshment.
Lydia insisted on hosting ALL and NOT some of the children, she stayed awake fried chin chin and bought cookies, which she distributed to the children. This was how the Annual unfair for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) was borne in 2003. Today, the event continues in the absence of Lydia and Hannatu Ardo, another ardent supporter of the program. From hosting about 20 children at the maiden edition, over 200 OVCs are hosted annual to provide psycho-social support to these less privileged orphans. The event provides a platform to interact with the children, track their progress and find out their needs.
The children look forward to the event for relaxation and interacting with their peers.
Over the years, we have been able to support some the orphans to finish secondary school, pay and sit for fees the West African School Certificate Exams. Some very hard-working ones have moved on to gain admission in institutions of higher learning.
Along the line, we have been able to secure the constant and continuous support of friends and colleagues too numerous to mention.
Gradually, in realization that if we do not support many of our women, who are widows, we might end up with many more child headed households, we also succumbed to pressure and started venturing into supporting Medicare for our women and children. To this end, some public-spirited medical personnel have provided medical missionary for our annual events. Such personnel provide free consultation and drugs for our women and children, immunization and deworming of the OVCs.
Three years ago, we ventured into mobilizing support and conducting voluntary lessons for our orphanages. This extension was initiated by a diplomat’s wife and by the time she left the country, we felt that it was only natural to continue.
Given the rising wave of insecurity in our country, we found it difficult to be left out of Nigeria's humanitarian work. We have therefore actively participated in mobilizing for and distributing for and toiletries to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
We are very appreciative of our donors and supporters for keeping aglow the aspirations and objectives of positively touching lives.
It has not always been smooth; WE have lost quite several our beneficiaries. Some of the women we started supporting have become more ill than when we started thereby needed added support. To this end, we are still struggling with fashioning out the best strategy for remaining a float. Our micro-credit has not worked for the simple reason that when our women get very ill, they spend the capital for their businesses and then start afresh.
It is our believe that children's education cannot wait while ill health remains a priority. Therefore, we will continue to juggle these priorities.
We have programmed informally, relying on friends and acquaintances for support. But this year, we commenced our formal registration of a foundation that would formally take over, implement and sustain the vision of helping these helpless group.
Comments