By Adeyanju Esther
Children’s Day is celebrated worldwide to honor and promote the well-being and rights of children. The date and traditions vary by country, but the essence remains the same: recognising the importance of children and advocating for their rights.
In Nigeria, the Ayela Charity Foundation, established in 2018 by co-founder Bukola Ayela, has made significant strides in supporting children from orphanages. Ayela emphasised that merely gifting children is insufficient to bring them happiness; instead, providing them with experiences and opportunities to have fun can profoundly change their perspective on life.
Ayele stated this on Saturday, while speaking to the media at the foundation’s Children’s Day event held to celebrate orphans and vulnerable children which was held in Ikeja, Lagos.
This year, the foundation organised a Children’s Day event with the theme “Dream Big, Reach Big.” The program aims to support and empower children by providing them with digital skills and other forms of education. Ayela highlighted that their outreach primarily focuses on orphanages with little to no support, ensuring these children feel included and valued among their peers.
The event saw collaboration with Palmpay, a financial services company. Enakeno Umuteme, Head of Marketing and Communication at Palmpay, expressed their core mission of financial inclusion and their pleasure in supporting Children’s Day celebrations.
He noted, “Not everyone is as fortunate as others, and children are the future.”
The impact of the event was evident in the testimonies from the children. Blossom Atunde, one of the children from the orphanage, shared that she had a fun and enlightening experience. She found the career talks and quizzes particularly inspiring, Another child, Israel Adegbite, also expressed his enjoyment of the activities and his happiness in competing with other children. He expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you very much. God bless you,” to the sponsors of the event.
Overall, the Ayela Charity Foundation’s efforts on Children’s Day highlight the importance of creating enriching experiences for children, especially those from underserved backgrounds, to help them dream big and reach their full potential.