Hundreds of children in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, are expected to benefit from free dental and general healthcare services as The Sonoiki Foundation partners with the Smiles of Hope for Children Foundation for a medical outreach scheduled for Saturday, October 10, 2026.

The annual health fair, which will take place at the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Ikenne-Remo, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., is aimed at improving access to healthcare for children in the community and surrounding areas.

The initiative will provide free dental care, medical consultations and essential medicines to children who attend the programme.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Sonoiki Foundation, Mrs Olusola Fadina, said the outreach was part of the organisation’s commitment to improving community health, promoting wellness education and supporting human development.

Fadina said the foundation, which has operated for seven years, was established to respond to healthcare and social needs within the Ikenne-Remo community.

She explained that the October outreach was designed to address some of the challenges faced by children and families who may struggle to access professional healthcare because of financial constraints.

According to her, the programme would focus particularly on children, with dental health and access to essential medicines forming major components of the intervention.

“From dental health interventions to essential pharmaceutical care, the programme is designed not just to treat, but to restore dignity and hope to families who have long been underserved,” she said.

Fadina noted that partnerships remained important to the foundation’s ability to deliver community-based programmes, adding that pharmaceutical organisations had contributed medicines and other resources to previous initiatives.

She said the partnership with the Smiles of Hope for Children Foundation would enable the outreach to provide specialised dental services to children who might otherwise have limited access to professional oral healthcare.

Founder of the Smiles of Hope for Children Foundation, Prof. Olubukola Olatosi , said the organisation was pleased to collaborate with The Sonoiki Foundation on the initiative.

Olatosi said a team of licensed dentists would be deployed to the outreach to provide minor dental treatments and oral health interventions.

According to her, the collaboration would bring professional dental expertise closer to children in Ikenne-Remo and help promote awareness of the importance of oral health among families.

She noted that some of the children expected at the programme could be receiving professional dental care for the first time.

Olatosi said the situation reflected the wider challenges of healthcare access experienced by children in rural and peri-urban communities.

She explained that dental health should not be treated as separate from general child wellbeing, as oral health can affect nutrition, speech development and quality of life.

“Putting smiles back on young faces is our priority,” she said.

Olatosi added that the dental component of the programme was intended to ensure that children received attention for oral health conditions while also learning about appropriate dental hygiene.

In addition to dental services, children attending the outreach will have access to medicines at no cost.

The medications, to be dispensed by licensed pharmacists, will include antibiotics, antimalarials, vitamins, supplements and other essential drugs based on individual health needs.

Olatosi said providing medicines free of charge would help remove one of the financial barriers that prevent some families from completing treatment after seeking medical attention.

She said the partnership between the two foundations demonstrated the potential of non-governmental organisations to work together in addressing community health needs.

Outreach coordinator, Tope Nwajei-Adeniyi, described the collaboration as an important step in improving healthcare access for children in Ikenne-Remo and neighbouring communities.

Nwajei-Adeniyi said the programme would go beyond the provision of free medical services by drawing attention to the health needs of children who may otherwise receive limited attention.

She said the initiative was intended to reinforce the message that children’s health should not be determined by their location or the financial circumstances of their families.

Nwajei-Adeniyi also provided background on The Sonoiki Foundation, saying the organisation was established by Fadina in response to identified needs within her local community.

According to her, Olusoga & Alaba Sonoiki Foundation, popularly known as The Sonoiki Foundation, was established in honour of Fadina’s parents, Olusoga and Alaba Sonoiki. Fadina is their first child and daughter.

She said the foundation is registered in both Nigeria and the United States and has received recognition for its community-based activities aimed at improving health and wellbeing.