Recession bites hard on orphanage homes, as sponsors pull back

As Nigerians continue to groan under adverse economic condition, numerous children’s homes are also feeling impact of the recession as most sponsors are forced to withdraw their support from the institutions.
These sponsors have emerged over the years to carter for some of the social needs of orphanages. Most of these homes are saddled with the responsibilities of protecting and supporting vulnerable children as they also work with the government and other agencies to promote social reform that improves the rights of children in the country, and in the provision of medical care, counseling, as well as nutritional and material support.

Dupe Adekoye, one of the children of SOS home, confirmed that the recession had forced many of the sponsors to stop funding the home.
She said: “since the recession started, most of the sponsors have slowly withdrawn from taking part of the sponsored child welfare.

 

“The sponsors that were active in the last five years were 80 per cent but since the recession began, it has drastically reduced to 20 per cent.”
Jide Afolayan, another child of the Home noted that due to inadequate funds acquired by SOS, the number of outings and trips have reduced.
In his words: “ Our outings have reduced because of inadequate funds, so much that celebrations and holidays such as Christmas and Easter are also cut down. As a result of this, we cannot visit social centers and events too.
On the inability to attend schools of their choice as a result of the recession, he said: “Formally, SOS youths attended first class universities in the country but now, we barely attend any top universities. It is very bad to the extent that we do not have any choice than to attend Polytechnics or College of Education, which was not the case before.”

“Also, during university application processes, you are forced to choose a public university instead of your choice of private university you intend for your studies due to lack of funds.”
Also speaking, Bukola Ayo-Ajayi, the home supervisor of Royal Diamond Home Lagos affirmed that the response from sponsors is not as much as it used to be.
She noted that the funds that are used to run the home are gotten through the help of God, self-finance and little sponsors such as individuals, churches and some corporate organizations, among others.
“Even though the home has been running more on self-finance, the turnout of sponsors towards the home has reduced, compared to what we used to have.
She urged both individuals and government to show love, care and more affection to the children so that they can also have a bright future, adding that doing this, will solely put smiles on their faces.
According to a worker at God’s Children Home in Osogbo, Osun State, Folorunsho Adeosun, , “It has not been easy. Many of our donors are from Lagos and they used to give without being reminded to do so. We do send reminders to them now, but the responses we have got so far are not like what we used to get.”
Another worker in one of the Cheshire homes in Ibadan, Oyo State, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the story to be true.
He said: “Majority of donors who came this year were aged people who only came to thank God for granting them longevity. Even the politicians are not coming like they did last two years.
“The children are helpless; some of us working here do so voluntarily because we do not base our commitment on commensurate remuneration.”
He, however, appealed to the public, especially wealthy individuals and corporate bodies, to help these children.