Wife of the Delta State governor, Edith Okowa, has put smiles on 41 orphanage homes and four families with the provision of food items.
Speaking while delivery the items to the orphanage homes Monday during this Year’s World Orphans Day held at the premises of her pet project, 05’ Initiative in Government House, Asaba, Mrs. Okowa, said, “This special day aims at drawing attention to the needs of orphans suffering from discrimination, violence, poverty, deprivation from education and to encourage the promotion of rights to a healthy and fulfilled life”.
The governor’s wife said the day should serve as reminder to society to actively participate and help to raise the awareness, support and funding for orphans as their situation has been constantly made relevant by UN.
“No one chooses to be an orphan, living without the care and love of parents can be traumatizing, sometimes these orphans stay without food, shelter, clothing and even health care”, she stressed, adding that orphans faces emotional stress and total rejection in the society.
In her welcome address, the wife of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Kevwe Agas, said it is a day set aside by the UN to remember orphans, “to draw our attention that there a lot of children that are orphans as a result of wars and earthquakes”.
Mrs. Agas said some of the children were orphans as a result of situations that were not their faults, “a day like this is a day for us to remember these children in orphanages that people have set their lives aside to ensure that they have a future”.
Speaking in an interview, the representative of St Barnabas Orphanage home, Cable Point, Oshimili South local government council, Christian Okonji, said the home was amazed at the sight of the items given to them.
Pastor Emmanuel Olatu, Children Revolutionary Foundation, Irri, Isoko South local government area, said the gifts given to his foundation is quite overwhelming, “God has positioned the wife of the governor to be there in order to make these food items available for the less privilege, is impactful”.
Mrs. Ogbo Josephine of Kings Kids Compassion Home, Warri, said she was grateful to the governor’s wife who made herself an extension of God’s hands to them.
“It is a blessing to us because the eldest of the orphans has graduated from higher institution and has completed the one year mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), while four others just got admission to higher institutions; we have been on for 25 years now”.
Mr Kenneth Imadiagben, who is presently taking care of four children belonging to late pastor Martins who died with his wife in an accident, said God, would continue to bless Dame Okowa for putting smile on the faces of children.
