A Non-Governmental Organisation, Chiemma Community Children’s Home Awka during the weekend called on the National Association of Seadawgs AKA Pyrates Confraternity to take up the responsibility of saving the lives of Sickle cell patients from dying due to the state government neglect.
The Director, Mrs Chinwe Nnabugwu, made the clarion call when the association paid a visit to commemorate the celebration of NAS 70th Anniversary of its existence with the theme: “Weekend of Service to Humanity” which resonates with the theme of our platinum jubilee, “70 Years of Service to Humanity”.
According to her, I am encouraged to serve humanity more especially Children who bring prosperity and when it comes to the old people’s home, it brings longevity and God has been merciful.
“Sickle Cell children are going through about pains and they live on drugs. Some of them are victims of broken homes, single parents, orphans, and some of them have been abandoned. Most of them don’t go to school because their parents prefers to train the healthier ones. But our foundation have been telling them ‘No’ it’s not that way, that living with sickle cell disease is not a death sentence so they should be given time to live”. This year we have buried alot of them and We have written to the state government several times but no positive response, we put proposal to government and they turned it down, so I get that aside. It hurts me they don’t see what we that work at the street see”.
“So in my Foundation, we have over to seventy five of them that comes to Amaku hospital under the supervision of Prof Ejiofor at the paediatrics section and these children when you see them you know they are malnourished. We are doing the best we can”.
“I want to plead that your association looks into thes children they are dying daily, Amaka you will tell you the number they loose weekly and blood transfusion is four thousand five hundred. Most parents can’t afford it and sometimes when you bring them into the hospital they are paper white and before you know it they are dead”.
“If we have this organization (pyrates) look into their matter am sure they can have a reason to live. I wont lie to you people come to visit the orphanage homes and offer gifts but the Sickle cell patients are left behind”, she added.
Earlier, president NAS, Awka branch, Dr Chigozie Okonkwo, said the association is marking his 70th birthday anniversary and uses the opportunity to showcase humanistic and charitable activities to the public.
“Our founding in 1952 by Wole Soyinka, Ralph Opara, Nathaniel Oyelola, Pius Oleghe, Olumuyiwa Awe, Ikpehare Aig-Imoukhuede and Sylvanus Egbuche, remains a watershed in history that we must continue to raise in value for community and humanity”.
“It is another vivid demonstration of our abiding commitment to lend a hand to mankind. It mirrors the Pyrate’s fidelity to the second rudder blade – All before Self, which places people at the centre of our activities for Humanistic Ideals”.
“Since 1952, our contribution to national development through various advocacy and humanitarian projects striving for “the attainment of a just society” continues to inspire hope in communities across five continents and the countries where our chapters exist. The many beneficiaries of the over 50 NAS Medical Missions since 2010, mainly disadvantaged and living in rural communities, are evidence of the far-reaching interventions we introduced in the health sector”.
“There is a lot yet to be done for humanity. As Pyrates, we remain conscious of this vital obligation. The “Weekend of Service to Humanity” provides an avenue to demonstrate who we are.. Another challenge! One we individually and collectively are braced to take on as proof of those enduring and endearing words of our founders: “wherever the community of man needs a helping hand, in whatever cause, to enthrone this principle, the PYRATE must be the first.” he added.
Among the items presented to the children’s home includes bags of rice, beans, garri, cartons of tin tomatoes, cartons of indomie, yams, beverages, cartons of biscuits, groundnut oil and spices.
