Ms. Comfort Alli, Project Director of Street Child Care and Welfare Initiative (SCCWI), a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization based in Lagos State, Nigeria, with a mission to rescue, nurture, and re-integrate disadvantaged children especially Street connected children, trafficked and exploited children, has led another recent campaign regarding the less privileged children, and has demonstrated the fact that every child deserves to be fed.
At the annual Feed The Children Project usually carried out by the organization during the Children’s Day celebrations, a time for celebrating the importance, potential, and undeniable future contributions of the children in our world, the Project Director 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 like Oshodi, Ijesha, Idiaraba, Ilupeju, Mushin, Shimolu, Ebute Metta, Iddo and Oko agbon communities. The state Gov
ernment centres were not left out, centres like the Girls Correctional Centers (Open and Closed centre), Children Center Idiaraba, Ketu Special Centre, Birtel Centre for Boys, Correctional Centre Oregon, the Destitute Home in Okobaba as well as the IDP camp in Igbo Efon were catered to. Over 5000 children were fed in this year’s event, making it a huge rise from last year’s 2000. The Project Director deeply appreciated her donors, sponsors, staff, and dedicated volunteers for making this possible as this is the 5th Edition of this project and the biggest yet.
When asked why she is so committed to this cause even with the harsh economic realities of our country, the Project Director 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 drop out of school 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 explained that “True giving does not shout, therefore, it is a gift from God when we can 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 at the event 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 regarding the event, “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 day, 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.
