Welfarism, Humanitarian Works Deserve More Attention – Eredo LCDA Chairperson

By Babatunde Kaka

Eredo LCDA Chairman, Mrs Olajumoke Saliu has called on men and women of means and benevolence to invest more in charity, welfarism and humanitarian work in order to tackle the scourge of poverty.

Ms. Saliu made the call in an interview with Ekohotblog on the sidelines of the Annual Kiddies Funfair and Empowerment Program In Eredo.

She’s the founder Charitable Network for Community Empowerment, CHANCE, an NGO, which focus on giving succour to the less privileged and also support the welfare of the girl child, children, the aged and widows.

The NGO recently clinched the ” Social Innovator of the Year ” award organized by Ladies Breaking Boundaries Foundation.

According to her, Ladies Breaking Boundaries Foundation is a foundation of women with the vision to affect lives in different capacities by empowering women for the growth of their career and businesses.

Mrs Saliu revealed why CHANCE was deserving of the award which she attributed to consistency and continuous support of the grassroots in multiple ways.

” The award was labelled ” Social Innovator ” of the year. It was given to me by the Ladies Breaking Boundaries Foundation. We come together to work towards this and also to improve the lifestyle of the girl child. How are you impacting people around you? How are you giving back to them? It is about the fourth year now that we organize kiddies funfair for children, vocational empowerment for women which will make them do stuff on their own and earn funds. We also cater for the widows and the aged.

“Comparing myself with others is a tough one for them from what I heard when choosing the winner out of the nominees. Mine was outstanding because it was also grassroots, meaning we are reaching out more to people who really would need these things on different levels. It is multiple, we are dealing with girl child, children, women, aged and the aged. So because it was multi-faced, consistent and with large outreach, they felt CHANCE is more befitting for the awards “, she said.

Speaking further, she noted how the covid outbreak crippled activities of CHANCE. She also noted the financial burden encountered in her resolve to reach out to the people.

” Funds will always be a great impact in any chosen endeavour. You always need funds to carry out anything and then it is more peculiar in these times because of the pandemic that’s out there” she said

She bemoaned the inability to get adequate support from companies due to the economic fallout occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Majority of all the companies that we typically write for support have rolled out palliatives during the cause of the year, so it’s been a bit difficult particularly this year. Year in year out, you really have to work so hard and do a lot of follow-ups even to well-meaning individuals from Eredo and Lagos State generally “, she averred.

In her final words, especially as we have the festive period around, she admonished resourceful women and well-meaning individuals generally to support the weak and vulnerable in communities. Such charitable acts she said is fulfilling.

“The Christmas and new year is a period of giving, it is a season to make other people smile, it is a period of joy. So I would always say to people that however they can be that source of a smile to somebody else, no matter how small, they should lend a hand. The impact is not necessarily about money or gifts all the time.

“The feeling of giving is not just to that person, it has an emotional toll on you who is also giving as well. There is this sense of fulfilment that you get. So for me, I’ll always say when you have the capacity, however small that you can, please make sure you be that rainbow to somebody else “, she advised.

Afolabi Hakim

A budding writer, content creator and journalist. Good governance advocate and social commentator.