Deborah Adebisi, an 11-year-old girl from Makoko, expressed her excitement after a special outing organised by the Bread of Hope Foundation. She exclaimed, “I want to say a big thank you to our sponsors. I have never seen a place like this.”
The Bread of Hope Foundation, through its Children of the Slum (COS) initiative, arranged for over 150 children, aged between two and 17, to visit the Silver Bird Cinema at Ikeja City Mall on Friday. This initiative was part of the foundation’s effort to bring the joy of the Christmas season to these children.
Vivian Okojie, the founder of the NGO, shared her delight in bringing smiles to the children’s faces. She highlighted the importance of showing children in underserved communities, like Makoko, a vision beyond their immediate circumstances. “I believe if a child can see it, a child can be it,” she mentioned. “Today was a day of many firsts for 150 children.”
The children were treated to the Disney movie ‘Wish’ and were provided with snacks like carbonated beverages and popcorn during the cinematic experience.
Richard Maseka, a 17-year-old student from Makoko, expressed his astonishment, saying, “Even in my dreams, I can’t picture this because I have never seen a place like this.” For him, stepping outside of the Makoko community was an unparalleled experience he would always treasure.
Further activities included a visit to Domino’s Pizza for ice cream and pizza and a delightful time at the DLA Amusement Park in Ikeja.
Oludare Adebiyi, the Project Manager of Bread of Hope, emphasised the organisation’s commitment to nurturing big dreams among slum children. “Hope is all we all need, especially children. Learning for them shouldn’t just be about the classroom,” he remarked. “Their enthusiasm for this movie outing is contagious.”
While reflecting on the day’s success, Temple Lawrence affirmed, “The joy on the faces of the children shows that there’s hope for them in the future.”
Bread of Hope aims to continue these initiatives, intending to provide ongoing support for children in underserved communities and seek more partnerships to broaden their impact.
- LM welcomes more human-angle stories of this nature. If you own an NGO or know one where social impact activities like this are carried out, please let us know at info@lagosmetropolitan.com
