In this Interview, Nkechi Ukome, Founder of Fostering Hopes Foundation, assesses the danger of inadequate parental care/need to support vulnerable people in society. OLADAPO MICHAEL brings excerpts:
Can you introduce yourself? What do you do?
My name is Nkechi Ukome. I am the founder and coordinator of the Fostering Hopes Foundation. Fostering Hopes Foundation is a Non-Governmental Organization aimed at supporting low-income families at risk of separation. The Foundation started in 2024, last year.
What has been the inspiration behind this foundation?
We understand that there is financial hardship in the country and, specifically, I am very passionate about children, and worried about how vulnerable they are, and how much support they need from their parents and their guardians and adults in general. In some situations, due to financial constraints, parents are forced to send their children to distant relatives in the hope of better opportunities. But sometimes, as we know, those children end up being abused or exploited and turned into housegirls and houseboys. So, this NGO was raised to support those low-income families so they don’t have to send their children away.
In recent times, there has been the belief that most NGOs are vehicles of political agenda. What is the true intention of this foundation?
I understand that concern and that skepticism in Nigeria. A lot of trust has been abused in the past, and a lot of people have their agenda. So, I mean, I wouldn’t want to say too much in my defense. I’m saying these things: sometimes trust is earned, over time. You just observe people and see how they move, right? And that will tell you a lot about their true motives, right? So, as a young NGO, we have been using our funds so far, and then we’re hoping to get support as we go. So, I would say that a lot of people who are looking for money are not willing to risk their own money when there’s no immediate reward that they can see. So, I think that alone can speak on some level to our motivations, that it is genuine.
You mentioned something about using your cash and then seeking other forms of support, like what kind of support?
We are casting as wide a net as we can. We have an event coming up in April. It’s a walkathon. So, we’ve been very ambitious. We want to walk from Agbo to Asaba, which is about 60 kilometers, in the hope of raising awareness for child protection issues and children at risk of separation. So, we’re hoping we get enough interest that people see what we’re doing and come on board and support in cash and in kind, in their time and their presence, spreading the word about what we are doing in different ways that they’re interested in. And this is you as a person doing this to ensure that children have better welfare.
What do you think each state government can do in their separate states to make sure children don’t have to be separated from their parents for the sake of welfare?
Right, I feel like we are doing some things already but as we know, there are over 200 million population in Nigeria. It is hard to keep track of things. It is hard to make sure things run smoothly. So, I feel like leaving everything to the government is a little bit of a tall order. As we already know, we’re in 2025. We cannot keep complaining about the same thing. To an extent, we are also the government. It’s a collection of people who have interests. And I feel like when individuals stand up, communities stand up, together we can inspire lasting policy change. People can just look out for each other. If you see a child who isn’t well taken care of, you can report that. So, it is on all of us, not just the government.
How many families has the foundation been able to reach since its inception?
Our first intake was in October 2023, and we started with three families with a total of 11 children. So, we supported the parents with a small business grant and covered the school costs of the children. And in January, we added another three families, with a total of eight children, and did the same. We supported the parents with a small business grant of 250,000 each and paid the fees of the children. So, all in all, we support about six families, with a total of 19 children so far.
How are you dealing with monitoring the family to make sure they’re doing well?
We have a team that is monitoring them week to week and providing them mentorship as well. So, we also want to support them in their day-to-day, and we want to support them to upskill, to do bigger things and we also try to inspire them.
What are the plans of the Foundation going forward?
To see how we can support them to meet those goals. You come from a country where few people undertake such tasks.
What is your message to other persons in society who can do more for vulnerable people?
I feel like there are a lot of people who want to help. There are a lot of people who are out there willing to support, but they just do not trust that people are going to take the money and use it for what they are saying they are going to use it for, or channel it the right way. I feel like when people see someone who is genuine, with genuine motives, it might inspire them to either support what those people are doing or look around them and help the person next to them as well.
The foundation started from Delta. Do you have plans to go beyond Delta, into the other parts of the South- South region?
I would say with time we would like to expand across the country, for sure. We’re starting in Delta because we feel like. I am from Delta State, I am an indigene of Delta State, and I feel like Asaba is a nice city to start from. There are amenities, there is the population, there’s the support as well. So, with time, we are going to expand to Central, Delta, South, and then outside of the state.
Have you made any effort to reach the government? Have you made any effort for support and all that?
We reached out to the Commissioner of Women’s Affairs. We have met with her. She acknowledged what we were doing. We have reached out to the Commissioner of Humanitarian Services and Support. We are in the process of reaching out to the Commissioner of Health as well as a few other government agencies. So far, we have gotten good feedback.
Read the full article here
