The three local government councils in the Warri Federal Constituency have pledged continued support for children living with autism and other special needs as the You Matter Charity Foundation extended its free medical outreach to the area.
The Chairman of Warri South-West Local Government Area, Hon. Sylvester Oromoni, gave the assurance on behalf of Warri South-West, Warri South and Warri North councils on Tuesday during the medical outreach at Ogbe-Ijoh, Delta State.
Oromoni said the councils would continue to champion the welfare of children with special needs and support initiatives aimed at ensuring that no child was left behind.
He commended the wife of the Delta State Governor and founder of the You Matter Charity Foundation, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, for taking the intervention to families in the Warri Federal Constituency.
According to him, children with special needs and their families often face enormous challenges, including limited access to healthcare, medication, therapy and the financial resources required to provide them with a better quality of life.
“The true measure of a caring society lies in its willingness to reach out to those who need help and support,” he said, adding that the outreach had brought hope and relief to many families.
Oromoni pledged, on behalf of the Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Comrade Isaac Weyinmi Agbateyiniro, and his Warri North counterpart, Hon. Festus Ashima, that the councils would sustain their partnership with the Foundation.
Speaking at the event, Deaconess Oborevwori said the Warri Federal Constituency was the ninth federal constituency visited by the Foundation during the current phase of its medical outreach across Delta State.
She said the programme was designed to reach vulnerable children and reassure those living with autism and other special needs that they mattered and had a place in society.
“Our journey across the state has exposed us to the enormous challenges faced by families caring for children who require medical attention, medication, therapy and assistive support,” she said.
She added that the experiences had strengthened the Foundation’s determination to expand its interventions and reach more vulnerable families.
The Delta State First Lady disclosed that the Foundation had so far reached 1,200 children, providing medication and other essential support.
She said the figure was an important milestone but stressed that more work remained to reach other vulnerable children and families across the state.
According to her, the outreach goes beyond the distribution of medication and support items.
“It is also about showing compassion, listening to families, creating awareness, providing medical support and giving hope to people who may sometimes feel alone in their struggles,” she said.
She called for stronger public support to build communities where children with special needs would not be hidden, neglected or stigmatised.
The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, commended the Foundation for sustaining the humanitarian intervention.
He said the outreach was a practical demonstration of compassion and would assist families struggling to meet the healthcare, mobility and educational needs of children living with special needs.
Guwor also pledged the support of the Delta State House of Assembly for initiatives that promote inclusion and improve the welfare of vulnerable persons.
Similarly, the Delta State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Solomon Arenyeka, praised the Foundation’s humanitarian activities and called for collective support for children living with special needs.
The outreach featured free medical consultations, medication and the distribution of support items to beneficiaries.
A total of 30 wheelchairs and 30 educational Android tablets were distributed alongside therapy toys and a smart board.
The Foundation also distributed 120 bags of rice to beneficiaries and their families.
Meanwhile, the event also featured the commissioning of a newly constructed staff cafeteria at the local government secretariat, expected to improve the welfare and working environment of council workers.
The Warri Federal Constituency outreach brought together government officials, local council representatives, health workers, political leaders, families and other stakeholders in support of children living with autism and other special needs.
