On 7th of August, 2018,
we visited Medupe memorial school of mentally challenged and diaables at Yaba, Lagos as part of our (First Bank Graduate Trainee) corporate social responsibility (CSR). In addition to the succor we provided, each and every one of us learnt a lesson of life, a gift we should all be grateful for. We saw children that couldn’t walk or talk, children that wish they had a better life but instead they were confined into a particular space with little or no knowledge of what is going on across the fence.
To buttress that some of them could be fun and wish to live a fun life, we met a little lad called SHOLA who made us dance round a basketball court, who made us stretch our muscles perhaps to appreciate what God has given us in his own way.
With his sharp instinct, he was able to pick and pair some of the shy ‘couples’ amongst us and made them dance while we all laughed.
Indeed it was beyond the CSR, It was full of life lessons.
Each and every one of them prayed for every one of us including those absent.
We should continue to touch lives in this way no matter where we find ourselves, no matter how little it may seem.
A wise blind man once told me, that whenever you sow a seed in a disable person, it takes you far away from incidence that will make you disabled.
The lady in charge rounded up by telling us some of what caused of the problem where she laid emphasis on the women.
Saying they should be careful what they take especially when they are pregnant.
She said some of the children were affected as their mothers were taking drugs during pregnancy and she warned women to avoid similar act. She added by saying disability can come even after birth where she made an example of the 66 years old man who was 5 years old before he fell down and became paralyzed. Now he can’t hear, he can’t see, he can’t talk. Take a minute to imagine how he lived in this condition throughout his 61 years of pain.
We Thank God (Alhamdulilah).
Muhammad Idris
Lagos, 2018
Below us the documentary i put together after the project.
Theme song credit: Rihana (diamond)
On the 6th of June, 2019,
I was among the team that led a CSR mission to United Methods Church of Nigeria (UMCN) Orphanage home and Internally Displaced Person Camp at Jalingo Taraba State.
At the branch before the departure for the outreach
At the UMCN Orphanage home at Mile 6, Jalingo
At the IDP Camp distributing some relieve materials/food.
