The United Nations Association of Nigeria (UNAN), in collaboration with Joan Agha Foundation, marked this year’s International Day of Charity with a visit to Love Orphanage Home, Magodo, Lagos.
The International Day of Charity, which is marked every 5th of September, was established by the United Nations with the objective of sensitising and mobilising people, NGOs, and stakeholders all around the world to help others, through volunteering and philanthropic activities.
The date of 5th September was chosen in order to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace.
UNAN is a member of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA). It is a non-governmental organisation, which was established in 1959 by Babs Fafunnwa, a former minister of Education. It works to improve the relationship between people in member countries and the United Nations, develop public understanding of the UN and its operations, and promote the UN’s overall aims.
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In her speech to mark this year’s event, Joan Agha, the Association’s president, emphasized that UNA Nigeria is dedicated to the goals of the International Day of Charity.
The President focused on the benefits of charity and how it may help bridge the divide between Nigerians of all ethnic backgrounds. She remarked that generosity is an expression of love that all Nigerians speak in the same language, regardless of religion, creed, or ethnicity.
Agha asked Nigerians and non-profit organisations to draw inspiration from Mother Theresa’s life and times in order to continue to make a good difference in the lives of the less fortunate.
In keeping with this, UNA Nigeria commemorates this day on September 7th by donating various food items to the Love Orphanage Home in Magodo. The items include beverages, rice, pasta, biscuits, yam, some bags of rice, groundnut oil, to mention a few
On why the organisation decided to choose Love Orphanage Home for the charity, the Secretary General of United Nations Association of Nigeria, Remi Olutimo explained, “We decided to choose this place because it is central. Normally, on the day you can choose to observe any place to observe with the UN. This place was chosen because it looks more central”.
Receiving the items on behalf of the Founder of the home, Nike Adeyemi, a social worker and manager in-charge of the home, Toke Onosanya, expressed gratitude to the organisation.
She said: “With all the things you brought, it will go a long way in taking care of the children. We can’t take you for granted”.
She acknowledged that people come in and make donations which has helped a lot, but appealed for more donations from good spirited individuals and companies, to the orphanage.
“Support with school fees through sponsorship. We need a bus, pool car to take the children to the hospital or school, and others,” she appealed.
