By Chris Onuoha

Widows and orphans residing in Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos recently had a reason to celebrate as Jay Mecare Foundation (JMC), a non-profit organization, organised a workshop for them and the aged with a conference centred on motivation and empowerment for vulnerable women and youths. The one day event attracted dozens of participants that were engaged in various vocational skills, health tips, entrepreneurial lectures and moral counseling.

In her opening remark, the founder, Jay Mecare Foundation, Dr (Mrs) Esther Jaiyeola, charged the participants to put God first in all their daily dealings to attract God’s favour and mercy in their lives.

Dr. Jaiyeola decried that for a country like Nigeria that has abundance of human and material resources to live in a $1 per day is not right. The foundation has also produced two graduates under their scholarship programmes.

On the motive behind the project, she said JMC was founded out of compassion to cater for the needy, noticing the pains widows pass through after death of husbands.  Aside the programmes widows and orphans can benefit from, other focus is on the senior citizens in this country. We call it ‘Grandparent’s project’. It is in our topmost agenda because I observed that most of them have problems such as old age sickness, neglects from family members, and other related matters.

This vision came to me when I visited USA in 2012. I witnessed how government, organised “Grandparents day’ and I said to myself, if this is done here, it will help some aged among us. This involves a get-together party where families will celebrate; parents and their grandchildren will interact, exchange views and experiences.”

Also speaking, the chairman of the event, Mrs. E. Olatunji, lauded the effort of the foundation to remember the less privileged in the society. She charged the participants to be grateful having such an opportunity to better their lives.

According to her; “People should imbibe the spirit of being a blessing to others by charting a good positive course in their life instead of asking for blessings all the time. The resource person demonstrated how to make soap to the participants and other things. At the end, participants were rewarded with working materials and cash gifts to facilitate their start-ups.