Project Director of Street Child Care and Welfare Initiative (SCCWI), Ms. Comfort Alli has led another recent campaign regarding the less privileged children, and has demonstrated the fact that every child deserves to be fed.
A not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation based in Lagos, Nigeria, SCCWI’s mission is to rescue, nurture, and re-integrate disadvantaged children, especially street connected children, trafficked and exploited children.
At the annual ‘Feed the Children’ project, which is carried out by the organisation during the Children’s Day celebrations, a time for celebrating the importance, potentials, and undeniable future contributions of the children in our world, Alli expressed her incurable passion to keep ensuring that all children are provided with the necessities of life, the most basic of which is food.
For this year’s event, food and drinks were donated to disadvantaged children in several areas in Lagos. The communities include Oshodi, Ijesha, Idiaraba, Ilupeju, Mushin, Shomolu, Ebute Metta, Iddo and Oko Agbon.
The state government centres were not left out. They included the Girls Correctional Centres (open and closed centres); Children Centres, Idiaraba; Ketu special centre, Birrel Centre for Boys, Correctional Centre, Oregun, the Destitute Home in Okobaba as well as the Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Igbo Efon. Over 5,000 children were fed in this year’s event, making it a huge rise from last year’s 2,000.
The Project Director deeply appreciated her donors, sponsors, staff, and dedicated volunteers for making it possible as this is the fifth edition of this project and the biggest yet.
When asked why she is so committed, Alli said: “Early in life, I prayed to God to bless me only to be a blessing to others, and this has been my life’s purpose. I am especially drawn to these children because they are the most vulnerable of us all, and they deserve to be treated with the highest level of care.
“A lot of these children have undergone, or are currently going through unspeakable experiences such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, drug abuse, hunger and poverty, leading them to dropping out of schools and having to fend for their families at a young age, introduction to crimes, disability, untimely deaths and much more. It is our responsibility as adults (not only parents) to ensure that we play our part in protecting these beautiful souls, so that we can also guarantee the future of our nations”.
She further said: “True giving does not shout. Therefore, it is a gift from God when we are able to give and become selfless in our lives”.
She appealed to more Nigerians who can, to join in this noble cause, as there is an unimaginable level of hunger in the land especially in these times.
One of the volunteers said: “It was so touching for me to see hungry children and adults living in slum areas without a hope for survival, and I was moved to tears when I saw a child begging for food, but I also considered it a great privilege from God to be among passionate individuals who gave their time and resources to put smiles on the faces of these children, especially today”.
Another volunteer said: “Comfort is the most selfless person I have met, and I am inspired by her dedication to giving her all to help the less privileged without looking back. I am forever grateful that I was part of this event today”.
Yet another volunteer said: “Even though I had to be in the office today, I’m so glad I took out some time to be part of the Feed the Children project this year. It was really inspiring to see the smiles on the faces of these less privileged children, and I would do this again”.
SCCWI is a member of the Child Protection Network, Nigerian Network of NGOs; a member of the Working Group of Return, Readmission and Reintegration Coordinated by the National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Peoples, among many other relevant agencies; and carries out advocacy services for abused children, and returnees (especially children) who have been trafficked to unfavourable countries.
At the end of the event, the children were filled with smiles as they were entertained with dancing, singing, and lots of food and drinks to commemorate this year’s children’s day celebration.
