Oganiru Umuada Anambra Progressive Union is an association of daughters of Anambra State united for philanthropy to assist the poor and the less privilege in society. They were at Bethesda Home for the Blind Vocational Centre Surulere, Lagos on August 2, 2020, to donate food items to the inmates, having visited Lady Tinuke Memorial Home for Autistic Children the previous week. CYRIACUS NNAJI reports.
The visit to Bethesda Home for the Blind was part of the aims and objectives of formation of Oganiru Umuada Anambra Progressive Union. The women group; many of the members are international business moguls, educationists, high flying career civil servants, has selflessly chosen to serve humanity through donations to members of the society who were not particularly blessed with material endowments and the physically challenged.
Items donated to the Bethesda Home for the Blind include two bags of rice, two bags of beans, two 25 liters of vegetable oil, cartons of Milo, milk, soap, toiletries, noodles, pastas, cash and many more.
The jubilant and lively inmates, boys and girls earlier had welcomed the visitors with songs and dancing, while the school band provided the tune.
Ezinne Ifeyinwa Amuzie, National Vice President, Oganiru Umuada Anambra Progressive Union speaking at the Home said that the donation to the poor was part of mandate and mission of the organization. “Our major aim is to reach out to the poor, the homeless, the poor widows, and the reason for our coming here, Bethesda Home today, is part of our aims and objectives. Last week Sunday we went to Lady Atinuke Oyindamola Memorial Home for Autistic Children and today we are here. What we did here today we will be doing it very often, All things being equal, in December we shall be doing the same in our various homes in Anambra State, because this is what we are called for.
“Oganiru Umuada is made up of women of timbre and caliber, women that really want to help the poor in the society, Awuzie said.
She prayed for the inmates saying “You will go places and your blindness will never be a barrier to you. If God said you will be a pilot, we will fly plane,” she added.
Mrs Ngozi Precious Ekpunobi, National Secretary of Oganihu Umuada Anambra State said “Humanity is all about giving; it is all about loving, and looking for where to assist if possible. You must give to others to be able to be where you want to be.
“If government is doing what it supposed to do government should be training this people, but we that have made it one way or the other in different sectors, we came to assist. Last time we went to Agbara, the mental challenged, we will continue to do, that is what Oganiru is all about, going out there to help the less privileged. And I know even as we come here God will continue to bless us. What we brought here is what we contributed amongst ourselves; we did not seek external help.
“I urge people to help, the act of giving is the best you can do in life, when you keep on giving you will never lack,” Ekpunobi advised.
The Director of Bethesda Home for the Blind, Chioma Ohakwe, said the major challenge the home is facing is food items and sponsorship of the inmates to the universities.
Ohakwe who disclosed that the Home began operation in 2005, said “The inmates don’t make trouble, the only problem is hunger, a hungry man is an angry man, when any of them is hungry he will not be so happy.”
She disclosed further that the home does not get assistance from Government but from individuals in government “We don’t get assistance from government, but individuals in government,” Ohakwe said.
She prayed for the visitors “Our prayers for Umuada Anambra State is for God to prosper them, give them sound health and prosper them in anything they are doing, physically and spiritually. You see when somebody is happy he will have the mind to give to another, if you are not happy you will not be in good frame of mind to give.”
She added that the home is for her and the inmates; she does not have another home. “I don’t have two homes, this is my home; it is a big family.”
Pastor Tina Ademokuwa delivered words of exultation. She told the inmates that God loves them just as He loves every other human being. She urged them to be confident as God has deposited wonderful potential inside of them.
The inmates in a vote of thanks which was delivered by one of them, solicited for sponsorships and payments of school fees for inmates who are in various academic pursuit in universities across the country.
The King and Queen of the Blind spoke about their offices, what they meant and the various projects which they are currently pursuing to assist fellow blind members. While Mrs Ngozi Precious Ekpunobi donated N100,000 to the office of King of the Blind (Eze ndi isi); Mrs Emechebe Nneka Anthonia (aka) Neki Signature supported the office of the Queen of the Blind with the sum of N50,000.
