Winners Get Free UK Return Ticket, TV Set, Others At ICOC CHI Fundraising, Raffle Event
Mr Ubaka Ochie emerged as the overall winner, taking home a return ticket to the United Kingdom, while Mr Micheal Oloye won a 43-inch television in second place, and Love Akute secured an inverter set in third place at the International Church of Christ Caring Heart Initiative (ICOC CHI) fundraising and raffle event in Ikeja, Lagos, on Saturday.
Numerous others also won consolation prizes, including household appliances such as irons, blenders, as well as bags of rice and cartons of noodles. Sponsors and long-standing donors were honoured with awards and certificates in recognition of their contributions.
In his welcome remark, Mr Imagbe Igbinoba, CHI Board Chairman, stated that the event was organised to raise ₦30 million to support the nutrition, education, healthcare, and overall well-being of indigent children in Lagos communities.
He added that CHI is an affiliate of the International Church of Christ (ICOC) Nigeria, and it receives 20 per cent of ICOC Nigeria Benevolence Funds, among other donations.
The Chairman noted that the event further demonstrated the organisation’s commitment to uplifting and supporting vulnerable children in the community, especially through its core Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme.
“Since our establishment on 9 October 2020, and the subsequent launch of our initiatives on 1 April 2021, we have been driven by a vision: to become the leading non-governmental, not-for-profit, and non-political organisation dedicated to providing quality care for vulnerable children and their families. Registered with the relevant authorities, we are proud to be at the forefront of spreading care, love, hope and compassion to children in Nigeria,” he stated.
Highlighting achievements, Igbinoba said, “CHI has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with at least two local government authorities in Lagos and is working on signing more. We are collaborating with the government and other stakeholders, such as the Network of Orphans and Vulnerable Children NGOs in Lagos, to reach out to underprivileged children in schools and neighbourhoods.”
He added: “We have provided school feeding for over 400 vulnerable children and households, awarded bursaries to 30 tertiary education students, supported 200 nursery school children with school fees, and supplied writing materials to 200 primary school beneficiaries. Additionally, we extend monthly health support to three individuals facing severe health challenges. Each milestone represents not just numbers, but lives transformed.”
“Essentially, we focus on the three key areas of child development: teachers, children, and parents. While we offer feeding and bursaries to students, we also provide training for teachers and work with parents to help them become more responsive and to support with empowerment where needed.”
Igbinoba explained how it started: “Initially, we began within our church community, but we soon expanded to help the wider community. We have conducted surveys and identified areas for further intervention as we acquire more funding. For example, we aim to distribute more food packs to help combat hunger.”
Programme Manager, Mrs Alice Amolo, added, “CHI initiatives include a range of programmes, such as the Caregivers Forum, which promotes positive parenting and child protection, and our Early Childhood Development (ECD) Programme, where we collaborate with local preschools to provide essential services. We are committed to fostering holistic development in our children, ensuring they have the resources and support necessary to thrive.”
She expressed her gratitude to sponsors, donors, and guests at the event. Amolo noted that although the raffle draw may be over for now, donations are still welcome. “We invite our friends and partners to continue supporting this vital mission. Your financial contributions will help nurture the inherent talents and abilities of those we serve, enabling them to flourish and reach their full potential.”
Chairperson of the Fundraising Committee, Dr Mrs Funmi Aina, stated, “CHI’s mission remains clear: to provide warm and effective care for vulnerable children and their households. We achieve this through resource mobilisation, caregiver empowerment, improving education, and institutionalising training for our staff and volunteers.”
“Our approach includes advocacy, service delivery, and strategic behaviour change communication. One step at a time, we are dedicated to transforming the lives of vulnerable children in schools and communities,” she concluded.
