An advocate, Mrs Olufunke Olaide, has called on philanthropists in the country to support orphans and give them hope of a better future.
Olaide, who is the Coordinator, Home of God’s Grace Orphanage and Widow Home, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.
“The challenges we’ve been facing concerning taking care of these children, particularly, has to do with funds because it takes people to come around to bring things for these children so that they won’t be lacking in any way.
“But when we don’t have people doing that, it’s really a challenge for us and I always solicit for help – that people should not just abandon these children.
“And whatever you do for the children in orphanages, you are actually securing the future of your own children.
So, I encourage people to just look beyond themselves, beyond their family and also extend their hands of goodness to the children in the orphanages.
“Because they also need to enjoy good things of life.’’
The coordinator also urged married women to engage in productive activities to enable them to support their families.
“Women that are married have to work, no matter how little; you have to earn money.
“You don’t have to depend absolutely on your husband; you are not a liability, you are a helpmate for your husband.
“Your husband is bringing and you are also bringing, so that you can jointly raise your children.
“And peradventure if something should happen, maybe, a particular woman loses her husband, she won’t be handicapped.
“She won’t be thinking of running away and abandoning her children; she will still be able to find her feet.
“Why some women decide to run away to abandon their children is because they can’t face life with these children and that is because they have been lazy all the while.
“So, I advise women to work.”(NAN)