Lifecare Children & Women Empowerment Initiative (LCCWEI) concluded a series of family visitations to the families of 5 children under the Lifecare initiative. The LCCWEI assessed their levels of progress and their present state of affairs and asserted that all the children will soon go on a break by August 5th for the third term long break. The LCCWEI social workers will still be in touch during the holidays.
Mrs. Basil Egwuatu is a widow from Imo state who lost her husband after electrocution in 2014. Her husband was a contract worker with PHCN and was the breadwinner for the family. He went to connect a faulty light for a community in Ijegun where he was electrocuted and pronounced dead at the hospital. Since the incident, Mrs. Egwuatu has been going through hardship and trauma raising three Children alone. Her immediate family was not able to help as expected but luckily, her sister took one of her children for upkeep. Mrs. Egwuatu is a cleaner in the school where her daughters attend. She barely earns enough to take care of her daughters or even pay their fees. Her income is less than 20,000 naira. Due to school fees arrears, her two daughters were sent out of school for four years for lack of tuition fees. She met with LCCWEI on January 14th, 2019, and was enrolled in the organization’s initiative.
“God brought lifecare to us, to favor us.”
LCCWEI took over the payment of school fees for both children, provided new school uniforms, sandals, compulsory textbooks, and exercise books. Additionally, LCCWEI also provided food palliatives during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Christmas season. This is meant to support and lift them out of the pain of mourning the loss of their breadwinner and give them hope. LCCWEI also registered Favour, who is in her last class for common entrance into a secondary school in Lagos. Mrs. Egwuatau thanks LCCWEI for timely and swift intervention to her family.
Mrs. Ashlwel Anthony is from Imo state with three children. LCCWEI enrolled two of her children at the time when they were out of school due to a family health emergency. Their father slumped 6 months ago in his line of duty. He suffered partial stroke and numbness and was unable to speak or recognize his children and wife. Due to this, most of the family funds were committed to his treatment for four months where over half a million was spent in reviving his health.
Mrs. Anthony’s plantain business and all her capital, including her husband’s work savings, went into the treatment. This led to the 2 children being sent out of school for an entire term. In mid-February, 2021, LCCWEI social workers conducted a need assessment program around the Ayobo IPaja area of Lagos and her boy was selected for a scholarship program under the LCCWEI. The LCCWEI paid for one of the child’s second and third-term school fees this year, vivifying the brilliant boy’s hope for education. The family expressed their profound gratitude to the organization for helping their son go back to school.
Mrs. Idowu Oluwaseyi is a single mother, after being abandoned by her husband, Mr. Adewale Oyediran, from Osun State in 2011. Her husband left her after giving birth to triplets. Her husband wanted a boy child but unfortunately, they ended up having 6 girls! Mr. Oyediran is currently married to another woman, in another undisclosed location in Lagos. Mrs. Oluwasevi is left to take care of her six children. Providing shelter, food, clothing, and school fees for these 6 girls is extremely challenging to her. At some point, her immediate family tried to assist the much they can but the load was still too much on them to bear.
In mid-February this year, the LCCWEI conducted a need assessment program around Ayobo IPaja, in Lagos and this family was chosen. Two out of the 6 girls were given the scholarship to relieve Mrs. Oluwasevi a bit of pressure. The LCCWEI has paid for the second and third-term school fees for the two girls. Also, the LCCWEI provided psychosocial support for the family, especially Mrs. Oluwasevi who went into mild depression due to the pressure of raising these children single-handedly. Mrs. Oluwasevi expressed her profound gratitude towards the LCCWEI and all the partners for their support and swift intervention.
