How My Media Report Changed the Fortune of Four Hapless Orphans!

It was sometime in June 2008, few days after my kid sister’s wedding. I was in the newsroom of the Independent Newspapers Limited, Lagos where I worked as a Senior Correspondent, joggling it out with some production schedule when I got a phone call that our neighbour, Mrs. Peju Amida had died after a three months battle with cancer. She was a 42 year old widow that had struggled for over a decade to raise her four children; having lost her husband in 1996.

I was sad, really sad. Not just because she didn’t pull through but because I didn’t know how the children would cope. I had known Mrs. Amida to be a hustler who did all kinds of jobs to make ends meet. And now she was gone, leaving her children to a future laced with uncertainty.

The next day I hurried to their one-room apartment at Mushin to commiserate with them. I encouraged them and prayed with them. Then I left. But I was restless. I saw that they needed more but I had no clue what to do to help them. A week later, I visited again. This time, I asked a few questions about whatever help the relatives could offer but it seemed there was practically no one these children could turn to. This got me worried because these were three teenage girls and (their kid brother). I was afraid that the present predicament could further increase their vulnerability and temptation to prostitution, which was very rampant in the community where they lived.

As a thought of what to do to salvage the situation and protect these girls, I decided to write a Features story and draw the attention of the public to their predicament. It was the best I could do because I didn’t have the money to keep them in school or put food on their table.

So I asked further questions to get the necessary details to spice my story. I also took pictures. Thereafter I prayed with them and gave them the little cash I had on me.

The next day I arrived office early so I would do a thorough job on their story and pass it on for production before deadline. The story scaled through and was published on Wednesday 25th June 2008. I was overjoyed as I walked home that day; believing that I had done some great work. Of course, the Amida children- Maryam, Biodun, Toun and Tosin didn’t understand how publishing a story would impact their lives or change their situation for the better. I also didn’t expect much; but I was fulfilled that I had done my best to help them.

The next day, Thursday 26th June, I arrived the newsroom late. But as I walked in, one of the telephone attendant stopped me and said, “Madam, where have you been? Some people have been calling the office asking to speak with you.” Surprised, I asked, “What for?” and he answered, “It’s concerning that story you wrote about some orphans yesterday. They are asking where they can send money to support them.” I screamed, raised my hands in excitement and joy. Before I would seat down, more calls began to roll in. I practically spent the whole day receiving calls and telling the callers where to send their monetary support. Even my colleagues in the newsroom where not left out. The story seemed have stirred a compelling desire to help these hapless orphans and give them a new lease of life.

It was such an overflow that within a week, we got almost N300, 000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira), which is about $800 (Eight Hundred Dollars). Incredible but true! I couldn’t fathom how a simply story could have generated so much support from people I didn’t know and may never know.

In my estacy, I called on Maryam to come over to my office and in the presence of my editor, I handed over part of the money to her to offset her school fees debt which had accumulated over a period of time and she was able to resume school immediately. From that money we also got a new apartment for them because they couldnt cope with the emotional trauma and sleepless nights they were experiencing in the old house where they had lived with their Mum before her demise.

Instantly l became their mentor and mother figure. That same year we got forms for Abiodun and Toun to write their school leaving certificate examinations and they passed in flying colours. In fact, they went on to secure admission in a Polythecnic in Ogun State. Toun was to study Pharmacy while Abiodun took to Nursing.

By this time the money had finished and I didnt know how we were going to sponsor their tertiary education. But I was resolved to empower these girls with the necessary tools to live a dignified life. I decided to write a follow up story the following year in order to give an update to our readers, especially that had been generous enough to support them. Although the second story didnt bring so much cash gifts, I got some feedback from our sponsors that they were pleased with the progress report from the girls.

Not wanting the opportunity of the admission to go to tertiary institution to slip by, l decided to crowdsource for funds to pay the admission fees, which totalled about N150, 000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). I started sending text messages to all my friends and fans, in fact, to all the contacts on my phone, begging them to help these orphan girlsget education . And guess what? Many of them obliged me and the money began to trickle in. Although they resumed late, the managed to scale through those first year at Ohun State Polythecnic.

The second year came and we needed to again. This time, l sent a text message to the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in Lagos State in my capacity as a journalist and interestingly, she also obliged me and sent her staff to pay the school fees.

That was how they finished the two year program and went for theirone year industrial attachment. At this juncture,l advised them to get a job and earn some income so they could be independent and be able to send for themselves; and perhaps proceed to earn more university degree of they do desired. But they prefered to work.

Today, Maryam the first daughter of Mrs. Peju Amida is a Business woman, married with three children. Abiodun is a certified Nurse and engaged to be married next year, Toun works as a Pharmaceutical Assistant with a Military hospital in Lagos while their kid brother, Tosin is an undergraduate at the Lagos state university.

Their story is indeed an attestation to the powerthe pen as an infleuncer; a veritable tool to drive change, both in the lives of individuals and the community.

Today, l am happy that my little story changed the lives of these orphans for good.Sometimes.they tell mejokingly.that they couldn't have had a better life than what l.had given them even if their parents were alive. Today, they have become full grown responsible and hard working women/man. Today l amproud of them!