A Non-Governmental Organization NGO, known as Unikk Kids Charitable Organisation Nigeria, an affiliate of Unikk Kids World USA has offered free health and wellness program for 2000 school children in Oba, Idemili South Local Government, Anambra State.
The group also advocated for both private individuals and the government to partner with the organisation toward investing in the health, nutrition, wellness, talent development and protection of children who cannot access a better life due to poverty or not having an enabling environment.
In her speech while declaring the event open at St Paul’s Model Schools Oba, Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Nene Obi said that after living in America for 24 years she has decided to think home, and come back to invest in the lives of children because of her passion for them.
Mrs Obi who is a native of Oba and married to an Nnewi man, said that many children of school age especially in the rural areas could not access proper medical facilities to get adequate healthcare, adding that ailments discovered early in life could be treated before they become malignant or get out of hand.
“I want to reach out to at least 1 million children in my lifetime, from Oba then across Nigeria, Africa and the entire world. Children are our future and the future of this country depends on how much value and qualities we invest in them.
“Children need good food, health, shelter, education, standard playgrounds, talent development and protection from pedophiles. We are pursuing a worthy course. We want to build satellite shelters for displaced children, a safe haven for runaway children, and orphans who are exploited and molested as house help, to save them from pedophiles.
“Unikk Kids started by constructing a school playground for St Paul’s Model Schools gave education scholarships to 17 children, and our nutrition unit fed 1400 children with a balanced diet. We also have plans of going into a children’s talent hunt. Our children are multi-talented when harnessed, the child will benefit himself, his family and the community.
“It took me time to find a faithful person to work with down here in Nigeria, but recently I found that person in our humble tested and trusted Trustee – Ven. Dave Udoezika, the Archdeacon of Oba Archdeaconry.
“With Ven. Udoezika as our Trustee we want to assure our prospective donors that any support we can get both from private Individuals and the government will be judiciously utilized.”
According to Ven. Udoezika, “Health is very vital. Adults die, and children die. So far, about 17 pupils have been referred to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) with medical challenges previously unknown to their parents. For our children to lead tomorrow they have to be alive today”.
“The team of doctors is thorough. We have specialists. Pediatricians, dentists, ophthalmologists, nutritionists, and otolaryngologists are here for these two days, with about 20 medical practitioners.
“It is not a window dressing. The CEO, Mrs Obi has put in a lot of funds in this health program. We solicit for more good-spirited individuals and organizations to assist her so that more children can benefit.”
Meanwhile, the Doctors’ team leader, a consultant pediatrician with NAUTH, Dr. (Mrs) Amala Odita stressed the importance of school health programme especially in rural areas where many do not have access to proper facilities due to ignorance or financial limitations, saying that ailments like kidney infection if detected early and treated would not deteriorate to having a need for a kidney transplant.
“We commend immensely Unikk Kids Charitable Organisation Nigeria for this, quite a lot has been spent to ensure that all these children from both private and public schools in this locality access appropriate healthcare.
“It is quite revealing that none of these children here have neither heard of Human papillomavirus (HPV) nor taken the HPV vaccine which is necessary for children between ages 9 to 14 years for prevention against cervix warts, cancer of the cervix and other forms of HPV causative cancers.
“I encourage parents, donor agencies, or individuals to sponsor these vaccinations for children of school ages to help curb the alarming cancer scourge in our society,” Dr. Odita stated.
The NGO said that it was in the country to start a health and wellness awareness programme for school children as part of its contribution to help build a better and greater Nigeria.
Dominica Nwabufo
