Yemisi Alogi Orphanage and Children’s Home, Abeokuta, was established on May 27, 2014, under the management of the Tobby Emmanuel Foundation, which was founded on November 1, 2005. The orphanage’s primary objective is to provide housing, food, education, and comprehensive care for orphaned, abandoned, abused, and vulnerable children in and around Ogun State, Nigeria. The motivation behind the founding of the orphanage stems from Rev. Tobby Emmanuel’s deep-rooted belief in the commandment to care for widows and orphans in their distress, as mentioned in James 1:27. Seeking to embody this principle, he envisioned a place where orphaned children could find a safe and nurturing environment. Currently, the orphanage provides care for 18 children, primarily in the primary and secondary school age brackets. However, the organisation aims to accommodate more children as resources permit.
In this interview with Edugist reporter Tobby Emmanuel shares the primary challenges faced by orphaned children in Abeokuta, and indeed children from low-income or poor families, are proper care and access to education. While the orphanage is still relatively young, there are no specific success stories or notable achievements from graduated children at this time. However, the organisation emphasises academic performance and strives to give the children the tools they need to excel. The Tobby Emmanuel Foundation’s structure is designed to support the orphanage through revenue generated by other money-generating arms of the organisation, particularly the schools. Excerpts:
Can you provide an overview of your orphanage home’s history, including when it was established and the motivation behind its founding?
The orphanage started on May 27, 2014 under the management of Tobby Emmanuel Foundation (founded on November 1, 2005) with the major aim of housing, feeding, educating and taking total care of the orphans, abandoned, abused and incident children in and around Ogun State, Nigeria.
The motivation came from the word of God, James 1: 27 that says we should take care of widows and orphans in their distress. So I said to myself, “If the true religion is to visit and care for widows and orphans in their distress, what about if we can house them?”
So, as we obey the command of God through the above quoted scripture, it’s also a way of making our world a better place to stay giving realisable hope at its best.
How many children are currently under your care, and what age groups do you cater to?
Presently we have 18 children under our custody, and we have under our care more children in primary and secondary school age bracket
What are the primary challenges faced by orphaned children in Abeokuta, and how does your organisation address these challenges?
Proper care and education are the major challenges facing all children from low income or poor families, not to talk of orphans. So, we help house those that our resources permit. We offer accomodation and meals within our limited resources. While others come to our development schools free of tuition – Strong Foundation Nursery and Primary School (founded on September 10, 2002) and Dreamers’ College (founded on January 12, 1999).
So, if we receive resources to fix more classrooms and employ more staff and have better facilities, we can accommodate more orphans and abandoned children in and around Ogun state.
Can you describe the range of services and support that you provide to the children, including shelter, education, healthcare, and emotional well-being?
Services rendered to the children include everything that deals with shelter and there physical security. We feed them with good food and fruits as we have resources and receive gifts from people. We provide them with educational services and all that it entails, exercise books, textbooks, stationery, school bags, uniforms etcetera. We also provide medical care whenever they need it. We have a nurse that services them Monday to Friday together with other children in the school. We also try our best to give them some exposures through video and excursions.
How do you ensure the safety and security of the children within your facility?
For their safety, we have the compound of the facility fenced with standard gates and doors always locked.
We have a night security guard and we have at least two workers on duty at every given time to watch over them
What educational programmes and vocational training opportunities do you offer to prepare the children for their future?
We have educational facilities next to the compound of the orphanage, preparing them for a glorious future.
How do you measure and assess the impact of your programmes on the lives of the children?
We measure the impacts of our programmes on the children through the words (via interviews), academic report from the school and the growth seen.
Are there any success stories or notable achievements from children who have graduated from your orphanage home? If yes, could you provide specific examples?
No specific achievement yet.All of them are still growing except for good academic performance in their various classes.
What partnerships or collaborations have you established with local organisations, government agencies, or community stakeholders to support your work?
We work directly and fully registered with the Ogun state Ministry of Women Affairs. We receive trainings and regulations from them.
Last year DashMe Foundation headed by former minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun partnered with us in the construction of one of our building projects that is where we are presently housing the children. That is a major support we can say that we have received from anyone.
How do you plan to ensure the sustainability and long-term viability of your organisation, considering funding challenges and changing social dynamics?
We are creating more awareness about what we are doing and the need for support.
We are planning to start a business that can generate fund for the activities of the orphanage.
Then, the structure of Tobby Emmanuel Foundation is interwoven in such a way that other money generating arms of the organisation (especially the schools) can be positioned to care for the running of the orphanage.
Can you please, visit our website: www.yemisialogiorphanage.org
