The wife of Delta State Governor, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, has extended her humanitarian intervention to children living with autism and other special needs in Warri Federal Constituency.
This gesture has brought to 1,200 the number of vulnerable children reached by the You Matter Charity Foundation (YMCF) across Delta State.
The latest intervention, held at Ogbe-Ijoh, Warri South-West Local Government Area, provided free medical consultations, medication and support items to children and families struggling with the cost of healthcare, therapy, mobility and education.
Mrs. Oborevwori, who founded the You Matter Charity Foundation, said Warri Federal Constituency was the ninth constituency visited during the current phase of the Foundation’s medical outreach.
She said the initiative was driven by the need to reach vulnerable children, support their families and reinforce the message that children living with autism and other special needs deserve dignity, care and inclusion.
She said the Foundation’s visits to communities across Delta had exposed the difficult realities confronting families caring for children requiring specialised healthcare, medication, therapy and assistive support.
‘These experiences have strengthened our resolve to do more,’ she said, noting that the 1,200 children reached so far represented a significant milestone but not the end of the intervention.
The Delta First Lady said the outreach was about more than handing out drugs and materials, explaining that it also provided an opportunity to listen to families, create awareness, offer medical assistance and restore hope.
She urged communities to reject the stigmatisation and isolation of children with special needs.
She called for collective action to create an environment where such children could learn, grow and participate fully in society.
She assured parents and caregivers that neither they nor their children would be forgotten.
Speaking on behalf of the three local government councils in the constituency, Chairman of Warri South-West, Sylvester Oromoni, pledged continued support for children living with autism and other special needs.
Oromoni said Warri South-West, Warri South and Warri North councils would continue to support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of vulnerable children.
He commended Mrs. Oborevwori for taking the outreach to families in the constituency, describing the intervention as timely and impactful.
He said many families caring for children with special needs were burdened by the high cost of medical care, medication, therapy, mobility aids and education.
Oromoni, who spoke on behalf of Warri South Chairman, Comrade Isaac Weyinmi Agbateyiniro, and Warri North Chairman, Hon. Festus Ashima, pledged continued collaboration between the councils and the YMCF.
The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor, in a goodwill message, commended the Foundation for sustaining the outreach.
Guwor described the intervention as a practical expression of compassion, noting that it would ease the burden on families struggling to meet the healthcare, mobility and educational needs of children with special needs.
He pledged the support of the Assembly for initiatives promoting inclusion and improving the welfare of vulnerable persons across the state.
Also speaking, Delta State APC Chairman, Chief Solomon Arenyeka, commended the Foundation for responding to the needs of vulnerable children.
Arenyeka said children with special needs required the collective support of government, families, communities and organisations.
He said the intervention demonstrated the importance of leadership that responds to the needs of people at the grassroots.
Beneficiaries received free medical consultations, medication, 30 wheelchairs, 30 educational Android tablets, therapy toys and a smart board.
The Foundation also distributed 120 bags of rice to beneficiaries and their families to cushion some of the economic pressures associated with caring for children with special needs.
The event brought together government representatives, council officials, health workers, political leaders, parents, caregivers and other stakeholders in a renewed call for greater inclusion and support for children living with autism and other special needs.