Haven for Autism Foundation & Motoks Therapy Hub bring autism awareness in Ibadan

Haven for Autism Foundation and Motoks Therapy Hub recently co-organized a 12-kilometer Autism Awareness Walk through Ibadan in commemoration of World Autism Awareness Day.

The walk stretched from New Garage through Challenge and ended in Molete, bringing together advocates, families, and community members in a call for inclusion and accessible care for people living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

What set this walk apart was its intentionality. Walkers did not just march. At key stops along the route, particularly through the busy Challenge corridor, advocates engaged directly with market women, traders, and residents in Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and Pidgin English. The goal was straightforward, to take the conversation about autism to where people actually are.

Many community members engaged along the way said it was the first time they had received clear, accessible information about autism. Several people expressed interest in learning more about early diagnosis and available support services.

“Autism is not a limitation. It is strength, and a unique ability. Too many families have suffered in silence because they lacked the right information. This walk was about taking that conversation to the people, in their language, in their space. Every person who stopped to listen is a step closer to a Nigeria where autistic individuals are embraced, not hidden” said – Esther Sule-Okeugo, Founder, Haven for Autism Foundation & Host, Autism Chronicles Podcast in a statement

Esther Sule-Okeugo leads Haven for Autism Foundation alongside her husband Paul Okeugo, with whom she hosts the Autism Chronicles Podcast, a platform dedicated to education, destigmatization, and community for families navigating autism across Nigeria.

“Therapy does not begin and end in a clinical setting. True healing and inclusion happen in communities, in markets, in places of worship, on the streets. That is why this walk mattered. We are not just raising awareness. We are building a society where every autistic person receives the care and dignity they deserve” said Kalesanwo Juliana Motoke, Founder, Motoks Therapy Hub.