The Story of Eagles Wings Community
Ilaje is located within Lagos, Africa’s largest ‘city’, which is situated on Nigeria’s southern coast. Ilaje is known for its perilous location, which is on the edge of an ocean bay and built on layers and layers of rubbish and sewage. The slum is amassed of makeshift shacks which are completely overcrowded. There are government schools in the area, but they cost money to attend, making them inaccessible for the most vulnerable children. Half-dressed children roam the streets during the day, working as peddlers to earn a small income. The ocean bay floods the community at most high tides, leaving residual sewage and rubbish-soaked water lying around homes, creating a high risk of getting diseases like malaria, cholera and typhoid. Aside from children, the community consists mostly of elderly and unemployed adults, many of whom are immigrants from neighbouring countries like Benin.
150 CHILDREN CURRENTLY SUPPORTED
5 CARE WORKERS COORDINATed by MRS. JOSEPH
BASIC SERVICES STARTED in 2007
30 KM FROM the LAGOS LOCAL OFFICE
In early 2007, a pastor was transferred to take over a tiny church building in Ilaje. When he saw the community, he was shocked at the living conditions. Along with his wife, they challenged their congregation members, as well as others in the community, that something had to be done about the situation. It was then they began walking the streets as a team to seek out the most vulnerable among the children, widowed and sick. Eventually they formed an informal organisation that is today called the Eagles Wings Community Based Organisation (CBO) which includes the running of a community school.
Since Hands at Work began partnering with the Eagles Wings CBO, the local Hands at Work team in Lagos with support from the South African Regional Support Team (RST), have been helping the Eagles Wings CBO transition from not just being a primary school but also a Life Centre.
Today, 150 primary-aged children come to the Care Point where they receive a hot, nutritious meal daily and are supported with their education and basic health care. However, the care that they receive goes far beyond their physical needs. Coming to the Care Point, the children are able to connect and build relationships with the dedicated teachers who also visit the children in their homes. Over the past year the teachers have taken huge steps forward in providing even more holistic care for the children in the classes. They visit 4 days a week after school hours, praying with them, ensuring they are seen by the local nurse when they are sick and advocating for the most vulnerable primary caregivers who have needed support with starting small businesses (income generating activities) such as selling tomatoes or cooked foods.
As the teachers/Care Workers are growing in their relationships with the children, the Eagles Wings Care Point is becoming a safe and fun place for the children to learn, play and grow in their understanding of Jesus.
Over the last few years, a number of projects have been completed at the Care Point including the repair of roof of the storage container by a local builder and two new safe, clean and hygienic toilets were constructed.
Meet Favour
Ten-year-old Favour’s* family spiralled into poverty after his father was in an accident at work, leaving him unable to work any further. Favour’s mother, Idowu, started her own business selling food, but her work wasn’t sustainable. With all their savings spent on hospital bills and with little to no income, they could not afford their rent, and moved into a wooden structure in Ilaje.
It did not take long for Favour and his family to be noticed. Mrs. Joseph compassionately visited them and offered Favour and his brother a place at the CBO and at the school. Idowu was supported by the Care Workers to restart her business selling fresh-cooked meals. She was drawn to what she saw in the Care Workers and the Care Point and decided to become a Care Worker herself at the nearby Temitope CBO, where her young daughter and grandson attend!
The local Hands at Work team in Lagos currently supports three Community Based Organisations, which exist to care for the most vulnerable in their communities. The office provides training, networking, and encouragement to those Community Based Organisations like Eagle Wings. It also gives administrative support, including helping with funding proposals, monitoring and evaluation, bookkeeping and reporting to donors.
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Tanisha* has been living in Apatuku, a rural village outside the bustling city of Ibadan, for four years. Sent by her mother at the age of six to live with her grandmother, this move shifted Tanisha into a very vulnerable position, just like thousands of other girls across Nigeria. Her ailing grandmother cared for the young girl and appreciated her help as she was struggling to cook, clean, and do errands alone, but unfortunately was unable to send her to school. Together, they live in a small rented room, sharing a bed and the meager belongings the grandmother had collected. Tanisha, obedient and caring, worked hard to ensure she cared for her grandmother well, but inside she was deeply troubled. Tanisha desperately missed her mother and wanted nothing more than to go to school.