A charitable organisation, Yeloto African Children Foundation (YACF), has paid for the corrective surgery of 25 indigent patients under the age of 12 at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja.
People, according to YACF founder, Dr Oluyemi Olawaye, should be their brother’s keeper.
Olawaye, who spoke during activities to mark the Children’s Day in the hospital, said people do not have to be millionaires before lending a hand.
He said: “Saving one’s life is a big deal and people need to cultivate the culture of helping others, particularly those who cannot repay them. All hands should be on deck to deliver children from various forms of underdevelopment. Providing more funds for the scheme would alleviate the sufferings of the children.”
The foundation, according to him, has performed 25 surgeries, 20 of which are cataracts while the remaining five were other ailments.
“In all, we have assisted 50 patients to have corrective surgeries free. Last year, we sponsored a surgery for a baby without anus. This gives us joy knowing that we have been able to put smiles on people’s faces. The joy that we know that we are touching the lives of people is of paramount interest to this group,”he said.
Olawaye, a clinical pharmacist, said the main goal of the foundation was to build a world class children’s hospital in Lagos in partnership with the state government.
“We want a world standard children hospital where children could get treatment without travelling abroad. We want a hospital where everybody can come at the minimum expenses, even where Siamese twins can be operated without sending them abroad. We have provided for 25 cataract surgeries and five other surgeries this year. Also, we presented some cheques to the needy,” he said.
A partner of the organisation, African Young Entrepreneur (AYE), said it was supporting the foundation financially.
Its president, Mr Sunmisola Francis, said: “Basically to give the necessary support, we are the largest group of young entrepreneurs in Africa with the widest reach. We are going to be expanding it and it will not be a Nigerian platform anymore. We will push it to other African countries like Johannesburg in South Africa and Accra, Ghana.
“We will also try and bring in other investors to the programme to expand it and provide more financial backups. It’s a huge load taking such responsibilities. We are putting up a platform for this NGO where people can donate easily to the needy via the internet,” he said
He continued: “We don’t need the billionaires to do this charity. We only need some successful young entrepreneurs, who can support our cause. I think a lot of young people will like to give back. We do this independently it has not been easy soliciting for funding. We will push this cause with more vigour to get the required sponsors.”
The group, as part of the children’s day anniversary, also donated cheques worth more than N500, 000 to the less-privileged at LASUTH, Ikeja.
Parent of one of the beneficiaries, Mrs Idowu Oyebola, said the assistance was timely as she could not raise the fund for her daughter’s cataract surgery.
“My daughter was born with the problem and I was referred to LASUTH for medical treatment. It was here that I was told that my child would need a surgery. But I was surprised when these young people came to my aid. They did not even ask for any money from me,” she said.
Another beneficiary’s mum, Mrs Sarah Matthew, a widow, said she could not raise the needed money to correct her daughter’s partial loss of sight.
The reason, she said, was because her husband died when her daughter was three years old.
“As my daughter was growing up we discovered that she has developed cataract and that we would need about N60, 000 for the surgery. But I have no idea of where I would get the money from. I am very grateful to this group that came to my rescue,” she said.
