By Adeola Ogunlade
As part of efforts toward caring for the aged in rural communities, IleraF’AGBA Foundation has been launched recently at RCCG, Strong Tower Sanctuary, Province 19, Lagos.
The event coincided with the founder, Samson Oyenekan 40th birthday. The foundation programme will feature Free Eye Screening and giving of free eyeglasses, a retired but not tired advocacy programme, a life savers achievers award (celebrating unsung heroes), and an annual celebration of World Sight Day.
Speaking at the event, Oyenekan said that the foundation was birthed as a result of a need that arose in a rural community where aged people could not afford at least two meals per day let alone provided solutions to their health challenges.
“The idea of ileraF’AGBA came out of a burning desire to touch the lives of people in my vicinity (Ikorodu) who are aged 50 and above. These set of people still find it difficult to feed either because they don’t have children or because they have lost their children. I discovered that a lot of them were helpless during the pandemic. They could barely afford three square meals per day”, he said
He stated that our presence was felt between 26th, March and 21st May 2023 in six geopolitical Zones of Nigeria where people aged 40 and above benefited from free eye screening and giving of free Eye Glasses. About 1800 people in total benefited from this project.
Oyenekan posited that providing care for the aged is a crucial aspect of our society. As people age, they may experience physical and cognitive changes that make it difficult for them to perform daily tasks. This is where the Free Eye Screening and Free Eye Glass campaign comes in. Not only physical support will be provided but emotional support and companionship.