In the spirit of love and the Yuletide, Mr Collins Ezenwa Ilo, founder of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Collins Rich Foundation (CRF), recently donated over 500 bags of rice and garri, cartons of noodles, seasoning cubes, beverages, assorted drinks and spaghetti and toiletries among other items to some widows and motherless homes in Imo State.

CRF made the donations at the Red Cross Motherless and other homes of the less privileged in Owerri, saying that the gesture was to alleviate their plight.

Presenting the gifts, Ilo, who used the opportunity to celebrate his birthday, called on the government and other philanthropic organisations to make life more meaningful to the orphaned, widows and aged members of the society.

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In the same vein, Ilo paid the hospital bills of over 50 indigent patients detained in different medical facilities in the state, saying that those classes of people, who form a sizeable proportion of the population of the society, must be adequately taken care of to reduce poverty in the land.

“Nothing makes any meaning to a hungry or sick person,” he said. “We are doing this to make the Yuletide a memorable one for many families.

“Nothing gives me more joy than giving to the poor and making life more meaningful to the less privileged members of the society.”

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He said although giving is the most difficult thing to do “my foundation has been doing so to the less privileged, especially the widows and the orphans. We give out food items, especially during Christmas. This year, we decided to expand the programme a little by settling hospital bills of indigent patients in the state.”

Mr Ilo who also assisted some patients at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, and Mgbidi Health Centre, who were indebted due to lack of money to pay for their treatment, said this year, 500 person made up of 350 widows and 100 aged, went home with a bag of rice and garri each to enable them celebrate Christmas with members of their families.

He said the gesture was part of the NGO’s commitment to catering for the needs of the society, disclosing it had been doing so for quite a while.

Some of the beneficiaries thanked the organisation for identifying with the indigent widows, and called on corporate organisations and other wealthy individuals to come to their aid.

Assistant Chief Nursing Officer, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Mrs. Ohamaeyi Laurence, who spoke on behalf the management of the health facility, thanked Mr Ezenwa for settling the bills of indigent patients.

She admitted that some of the beneficiaries owed the hospital and were unable to pay their bills after treatment.

One of the beneficiaries, Uhiara Ogechi, thanked the founder of Collins Rich Foundation for the gesture and prayed God to reward him for his good deed.