Enugu indigenes based in Spain donate to four charity homes

IT was an atmosphere filled with joy and excitement at the weekend, when Enugu State indigenes based in Madrid, Spain visited care homes in the state with gifts, food items and cash donations.

  In the two-day visit, officials of the group under the auspices of Enugu State Association, Madrid Spain took time to interact with inmates of the Oji River Leprosy Settlement, the Guardian Angel Motherless Babies’  Home, the Old Peoples’ Home and Nigerian Prisons, Enugu.

  Items presented to the four homes visited included bags of rice, pampers, detergents, bathing soaps, toilet tissues and cash.

  Speaking at the event, President of the Association, Mr. Collins Chukwudi Edeh, said the visit was in fulfillment of their promise at the end of their meeting last year to assist in the upkeep of the homes.

 He noted that the Enugu State Association in Spain would continue to identify with the less- privileged as part of its corporate social responsibility, stressing that government alone could not tackle all challenges of the society.

He said he was happy that despite the downturn in the economy, the four care homes had continued to be maintained, adding that it was indicative of how Nigerians value one another.

  While praising officials of the homes for their efforts, Edeh called on well-meaning Nigerians and corporate organizations to identify with the needy and less-privileged persons in the society, saying it was the only they could be remembered.

“I have heard stories of how the people at the Oji River Leprosy Settlement came to be; majority of them are Biafran soldiers who fought during the Nigeria/Biafra war. Some are neglected people who came from various parts of the country to find homes there. Then, the Old Peoples’ Home is made up of old men and women, who cannot find help in their old age. There are also motherless kids that should be provided with care to enable them be useful to the society. So for me, I think that these people are our responsibility and we cannot be happy should they continue to suffer”, he said.

  Edeh stated that the association would look into other areas of need presented to them by officials of the care centres, saying that nothing was too much in the quest for protection of life.

  He said that outside the general contributions, the members who were part of the visit decided to make additional personal donations as a show of love to the centres.

 Some of the inmates at Oji River Leprosy Settlement had earlier lamented lack of funds to train their children as well as medication for their sick ones at the centre.

 They had, however, praised the association for remembering them and prayed that God would also bless them. Other members of the association on the visit include its Vice President, Emmanuel Ani, former Vice President, Chief Andy Onoh, Chief Ferdinand Akpusi, Chief Jonas Afunwa, Mr. Sunday Egbo, Mr. Emenike Egbe, Mr. Edwin Ujam among others.