…Donates essential items

The Olayinka Aderinkola Akinrinola Foundation (OAAF) has urged girls at the Lagos State Correctional Centre for Girls, Idi-Araba, to look beyond their present circumstances and strive towards building a better future.

The foundation made the call during a visit to the centre  where it donated food items, sanitary pads, toiletries and other essential supplies to the girls.

Beyond the donations, members of the foundation spent time with the girls, engaging them in conversations, recreational activities and motivational sessions aimed at encouraging them to make positive choices and remain hopeful about their future.

The foundation’s team was received by a senior staff member of the centre, Mrs Olowolekomon, alongside other members of staff.

Olowolekomon gave the team a brief history of the centre and explained its role in the rehabilitation and development of the children in its care.

She also shared anonymous stories about some of the girls and highlighted the efforts of the centre to equip them with the skills, discipline and support needed for successful reintegration into society.

During a tour of the facility, members of OAAF observed that the girls were engaged in various vocational activities designed to keep them productive and equip them with practical skills for life after leaving the centre.

The foundation visited areas where the girls receive training in fashion design, cooking, catering and other vocational activities.

Speaking on the purpose of the visit, the Founder of OAAF, Prophetess Olayinka Akinrinola, said the foundation wanted the girls to understand that their present circumstances should not determine their future.

She said, “Every child deserves the opportunity to dream, to learn and to become successful. We wanted these girls to know that they are not forgotten and that their lives can still take a completely different direction.

“Whatever has happened in the past, they should not allow it to define who they become. They should dream big, believe in themselves and prepare for a future where they can contribute positively to society.”

The Co-Founder of the foundation, Mr Aderinkola Akinrinola, stressed the importance of rehabilitation and preparing young people for life beyond the correctional system.

He said rehabilitation should go beyond correction by providing young people with skills, guidance, encouragement and a sense of purpose.

“What we saw here is a reminder that rehabilitation must go beyond correction. Young people need skills, guidance, encouragement and a sense of purpose,” he said.

Akinrinola added that the vocational activities at the centre were important because they gave the girls practical skills they could build on after leaving the facility.

The Project Manager of OAAF, Mr. Dara Adenekan, said the interaction with the girls was one of the most significant aspects of the visit.

According to him, the foundation wanted to do more than donate items, but also spend time with the girls, listen to them and encourage them to believe in their future.

“We wanted to do more than simply visit and donate items. We wanted to spend time with the girls, listen to them and let them know that their future is still worth fighting for,” he said.

Adenekan said members of the foundation used small-group discussions to encourage the girls to shun violence, crime and other negative influences while setting positive goals for themselves.

He added that OAAF would continue to explore ways of supporting vulnerable children through programmes focused on education, protection, emotional well-being and skills development.

The visit also featured recreational activities, with the girls and members of the foundation dancing, playing games and sharing conversations.

The girls expressed appreciation for the visit and actively participated in the activities organised by the foundation. Some of them also urged the team to return for another visit.

OAAF said the outreach formed part of its renewed commitment to child development and protection, one of its three strategic focus areas, alongside women’s economic empowerment and mental health support.

The foundation noted that protecting vulnerable children required more than meeting their immediate material needs, stressing the need to create environments where they could develop skills, build confidence, receive positive guidance and prepare for productive lives beyond institutional care.

It said it would continue to seek partnerships and opportunities to support vulnerable children and young people across Nigeria.