By Mathew Johnson

The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) 2,Lagos ,marked the 2026 Children’s Day celebration with an outreach to Heart of Gold Children’s Hospice in Surulere, Lagos, where it donated relief materials and identified with children living with disabilities and special needs.

Speaking during the visit, the Zonal Director of NTA 2 Lagos network Centre, Victoria Island, Dr Evelyn Nwosu, said the station deliberately shifted this year’s celebration to children often excluded from conventional Children’s Day activities.

She explained that the initiative was aimed at showing love and support to vulnerable children who may not have the opportunity to participate in parades, dances and other festivities associated with the annual celebration.

According to her, “Usually, on May 27, there are activities to celebrate Children’s Day, but this year we chose to celebrate children who cannot come out to dance with others and those people do not readily identify with.

“We decided to reach out to those who may not even remember that today is Children’s Day and those who wake up every day uncertain about what tomorrow holds. We believe they deserve to be celebrated too.”

Nwosu said members of her management team were emotional after interacting with some of the children at the facility.

“When we came in and saw the children, including a 13-year-old child, it touched everyone. It reminds us that every day is a blessing and that society needs to pay more attention to children living with disabilities,” she said.

In her remarks, the founder of Heart of Gold Children’s Hospice, Mrs Theresa Omolaja Adedoyin, said the facility, established on October 2, 2003, had spent over two decades caring for abandoned and vulnerable children with special needs.

She stated, “Last year, we marked 21 years of operation. We care for children with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, congenital abnormalities, mental disabilities and other special needs.”

Adedoyin noted that one of the major challenges facing the facility was meeting the medical needs of the children.

“The challenges are there because of the category of children we care for. They require regular medical attention and specialised support,” she said.

Commending NTA 2 Lagos for sustaining support for the hospice through periodic visits and donations over the years, she noted that, “NTA has maintained a relationship with us over the years. They continue to visit and support us, and we appreciate their consistency.”