As part of its charity programme, the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Pyrates Confraternity in Ondo State on Friday donated some food items to people living with leprosy.
The association, led by Mr. Chinazom Nwankpa, state President, visited the Ago Ireti community, Akure, where people living with leprosy reside and promised to pay WAEC and JAMB registration fees of four children in the community.
Presenting the items on behalf of the association to the management of the community, Mr. Nwankpa said that the gesture was aimed at ensuring the vulnerable have something to celebrate during the yuletide.
He explained that the Elpaso SSO Deck and Okavango Deck (South Africa Chapter) led by Patrick Ugheoke Sebastine collaborated to assist the community with the items.
According to Mr. Nwankpa, “We understand that our brothers and sisters who are removed from the public for our own safety also need us from time to time because they are separated from the society to protect and avoid the health implication of them coming out begging for alms in the society.
“Government is doing a bit but it is not enough, so they rely on people like us and well-meaning Nigerians, just basically charity to survive.
“We decided that it would be a good thing to visit them, especially in this Yuletide season so that as we rejoice and celebrate, they can also celebrate too.
“I learnt that the government is paying them a stipend and it has not been paid since July 2021 and there are 92 of them in this colony each representing a family in this community.
“We are calling, especially on the state government, in this Yuletide season to remember them and possibly pay the backlog of stipends and also consider an upwards review of the stipend so that they can take care of themselves and family.
“It will do us a lot of good if the government could leave up to its responsibility by giving scholarship and free education to their children because education is the key which can open a vista of opportunities for their children in the future.”
The Secretary of the community, Mr. Tunji Oluwatimilehin, who received the items on behalf of the community, appreciated the association for the gesture.
He disclosed that Seadogs had been assisting the village, saying “Seadogs has been coming here for a long time and they really tried for us, not only we the parents but also for our children.
“So, if other associations or government can help sponsor our children, it would be a big achievement on their part and our part because the children will lift us from abject poverty that we parents are facing at the moment.
“We don’t want our children to eat the bitter fruit we the parents are eating at the moment. So, if we see people that can be taking care of our children, we will be more than happy because they are trying to bring us and our children out of abject poverty,” he said.
The items include bags of rice, beans, salt, carton of fresh fish, carton of tomatoes, a keg of palm oil, tubers of yam, tissue papers, detergent, and disinfectants, among others.