A Non-governmental organisation, AMVEK Foundation, recently put smiles on the faces of over 220 children by providing them with breakfast last week during their Breakfast Outreach in Ibitoye Community, Ajegunle, Lagos State.
Founder and president of AMVEK Foundation, Mrs. Anyanwu Vera Blessing, said, “This is the best time to catch them, and we have come to realize that most children don’t eat in the morning before going to school.
“And when you don’t take breakfast in the morning, there is no way the child will assimilate very well in school. So, giving them breakfast will teach the parents that there is need for every child to eat in the morning.”
She enjoined parents not to give their children pap (Ogi/Akamu) in the morning because it would “make them sleep in class.”
According to Blessing, the project is focused on children, because I am a Child Care specialist. I came to educate the children on early childhood education. I have come to realize that, whatever impact or input you give to a child you will see such traces in that child when the child becomes an adult.
“I grew up in Ajegunle lived in a one-room apartment, I knew that life then was very difficult, also I knew how difficult it was growing up as a child. So each time I reflect, I had that feeling that there are so many children in Ajegunle that are going through what I went through so that is why I always come to Ajegunle to do my outreach programmes.”
She said that, when her father was almost discouraged not to send her to the University for fear of becoming a wayward daughter, “I stood my ground that I want to become somebody in life. So that I can raise children, who will be leaders of tomorrow. Since then as an adult, I have been struggling so hard that God should put me in a position whereby I will have enough to sponsor some children to school.”
She disclosed she started sensitisation outreach programme in 2017, but officially kicked off in 2018, since then we have reached out to children living at Mushin, Yaba.
One of the parents of the children, Mrs. Ayeni Afusat said “We appreciate the organisers for coming to show love to our children and prayed to God to bless and reward the activities of the foundation.