A call has gone to individuals and corporate organisations to engage in humanitarian services to make livelihood better for mankind.
Ogun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ganiyu Hamzat, gave the charge at the 12th edition of the Less Privileged Children Encouragement Initiative (EI), Annual Charity Lecture and Appreciated Colloquium, at Bisi Rodipe Hall, Igbeba Housing Estate, GRA, Ijebu-Ode, saying giving succour to children with mental health and disability should be seen as a collective responsibility, thereby creating a more inclusive and compassionate society for all.
Hon. Hamzat, who said the theme of the programme was apt due to multiple challenges faced by the parents of children-victims, especially in the economic hardship of the country, appreciated the invaluable support of the organisation for providing basic amenities of some schools and communities in the state.
He gave kudos to the champions of the programme, urging people to take a cue from EI initiative, for the good of society and the general well-being of the people especially the underprivileged and the vulnerable in the society.
Delivering her lecture on the topic, ‘’Silent Struggles: Challenges and Coping Strategies for Parents of Children With Mental Health and Disability’’, the Guest Speaker, who doubles as the Chairperson, Autism Pacente, Texas, USA, Mrs. Yemi Ogunfeitimi, pointed out that people should build a community support system to make life better, advocating for the rights of all children, regardless of their abilities.
She explained that challenges of mental health or disabilities differ and could be stressful, affecting family dynamism, emotional, financial and social systems, highlighting other challenges to include stigmatisation and societal perception, behavioural and other hindrances associated to self-care of the affected individual.
Mrs. Ogunfeitimi, admonished parents of challenged children to seek professional help whenever they are overwhelmed or depressed, shun self-pity and desist from locking up the children at home, encourage self-care, among others, to mitigate the numerous challenges, calling for more enlightenment and advocacy about mental health and disability and appealed to the community to provide a support system for the parents.
In his remarks, the convener and founder EI, who is also the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr. Rotimiolu Akinlesi, disclosed that the organisation’s objective was to touch lives, especially the less privileged children in the society, stressing that stigmatisation of the challenged children and their parents should be addressed.
Dr. Akinlesi, who advised parents of mental health and disabled children to seek happiness while supporting their children, urging well-meaning Nigerians to touch the lives of others, saying, “government alone cannot address or fix the issue, but the individual's little contribution would transform the world to a better place”.
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