BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
The abandoned and motherless children at the Catholic Charity Home for the Needy in Idembia Ishieke, Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State are currently agonising and calling for care and attention from government and other stakeholders in the society.
The helpless children, under the care of Reverend Sisters of Missionary Daughters of Mater Ecclesiastes Congregation, Abakaliki Diocese, urged governments at all levels, corporate bodies, philanthropists, NGOs and well-meaning individuals to assist them in securing a befitting accommodation and a mini bus among other pressing needs for the home.
In an exclusive interview with The Point, the Reverend Sister in charge of the home, Janefransis Nwodu, stated that the care for the orphans and other abandoned children was already being threatened by lack of basic amenities in the home.
Nwodu said, “The home is housing abandoned and handicapped children of various ages. Some of the children are homeless. Some are suffering from illnesses ranging from HIV, epilepsy, physical and mental health issues. We cater for the needs of the kids including education and our only source is charity from individuals, groups or government.
“Due to the difficulty of moving them around, especially going to hospital and school, we hereby solicit for help to enable us to acquire a mini-bus to facilitate mobility. We also need better accommodation. You can support our apostolate by visiting us or making a donation no matter how small.
“The female cleric urged parents to desist from throwing away and abandoning their babies. She also warned women to stop taking pills during pregnancy saying that it causes pregnant women to give birth to deformed children
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“Currently, we have 11 children in the home. Out of the 11, only two have biological families. We don’t know the families or backgrounds of the remaining nine because some of them were abandoned in the hospital or streets because of one birth defect or the other on the babies. We picked them up and enrolled them in our home. We depend on charity from men and women of goodwill to take care of them.
“Our home is registered with a big branch in Benin-City. Because it is a registered home, when people or police see such abandoned children, they bring them to us for care. As I said earlier, we depend on goodwill to cater for the children as well as some of our working sisters but you know human needs increase every day. We beg to feed the children. I am not ashamed to beg anywhere I see the opportunity for assistance, I ask and God has been so faithful.
“The way we live here, whatever we eat is what the children eat; the house we live in is where they live. We try to give them a sense of belonging to a home filled with love and happiness irrespective of their health situations.
“We hope that some of them will get well some day because they are on medications, then they can marry. We have one in Benin who got married from the home last year. She is pregnant with her husband now. If some get well, they will progress in life and contribute to the development of the nation and if not, we will still take care of them till they return to their creator.
“There are some who are learning skills like sewing. I have four kids in school now, the small ones who are not mentally challenged. We could not locate their homes because some of them can’t recollect or articulate. Their parents got tired of their deformity and abandoned them. Even if you find the parents of some of the children and compel them to carry the deformed child, they will just go home and kill them because they are already seen as disgraceful burdens to them.
“We lack befitting accommodation for such children. This place is a convent. It is not suitable for such children. That is why people most times find it difficult to locate us here. We were previously at Holy Child Parish, Ezzangbo in a rented house where neighbours don’t understand the kind of children we take care of. They said they are so destructive, they are this and that. That is why we said since this convent belongs to the congregation, let us come and squat here with the children praying that very soon; we can secure a befitting accommodation for them and then expand the family by accepting more children with special needs.
“Going to hospital with them is always a nightmare for me because we don’t have a private vehicle. Like one of them, I normally take her to National Obstetrics and Fistula Center Abakaliki because she is epileptic. Sometimes, on transit, the passengers keep away from me because of the challenges. We may just reach the motor park and the attack will start, and people will run away from us. I am left with the option of either paying for all seats on that row or charter a bus and the required fund is not readily available for such luxury. I pay a bike man N7, 000 monthly to transport four little ones to school and bring them back because they can’t walk very well. So, we need financial assistance to secure a mini-bus.
“May God bless Rev Fr Dr Peter Omogo who just gave us life by drilling a borehole for us for water supply. With that, our water needs in the home are solved up to 70 per cent. In my normal begging style, I heard he drills boreholes and as soon as I pleaded, he directed that one should be drilled for us in the convent.
“Some of the children wear diapers 24 hours, the children generally eat a lot, especially those mentally challenged who don’t know their food gauge. Sequel to that, a bag of garri does not last up to two weeks for us. We need assistance to keep the home moving for the sake of humanity.
“Our Mother General, Reverend Mother Agatha Ebere started this work all alone in Benin City, Edo State capital. So, work is no longer one person’s affair. And what if she (Ebere) dies tomorrow, who will continue with the children? That was how she got the inspiration to call those willing to follow her and care for such rejected and abandoned children,” Nwodu narrated.
The female cleric urged parents to desist from throwing away and abandoning their babies. She also warned women to stop taking pills during pregnancy saying that it causes pregnant women to give birth to deformed children.
“We appeal to parents to stop throwing away God’s gifts (babies). When these children come in that way (deformed), it is not their own making. If you by any reason have such children, show them love and by God’s grace, they will recover.
“Parents, especially mothers, should stop taking pills. We have come to find out that some of the deformities in children are not natural. They are after-effects of some pills taken by their mothers and these children are innocent. They were made in the image and likeness of God. Please, help us to take care of them, to build a home for these children, to buy mini buses, foodstuffs, toiletries and in any way you can. Help us in your prayers too so that we have the strength and good health to carry on the responsibilities. It has not been easy, we do everything for the children, we bathe all of them and feed some of them,” she said.
Meanwhile, the children can be assisted by visiting or paying into the bank account of Missionary Daughters of Mater Ecclesiae 6060381083, Fidelity Bank and for more details, reach Rev Sr Janefransis Nwodu on 08925896720.
