Akwa Ibom mother who fed children poultry feeds receives housing, aid
Grace Udeme Emmanuel, the 22-year-old mother of four reported to be feeding her children chicken feed in the poultry where she works in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, has been provided with a new home, with additional benefits lined up to improve her life and that of her children.
The wife of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Patience Umo Eno, initiated interventions to lift Grace out of her dire situation, announcing an initial N500,000 lifeline after the daughter of the farm owner where Grace works shared her plight on social media.
Uduak Ekong, Media Aide to the Governor’s Wife, provided an update on the efforts to improve life for Grace and her children, stating that plans are also being made to help her acquire a skill, set her up in business, and give her the opportunity to continue her education from SS1, where she had dropped out.
Ekong narrated, “What first caught Her Excellency’s attention was what could drive someone to consider feeding her children chicken feed.
When we met her, we learned that she became pregnant at 16 and dropped out of school in SS1. She speaks impeccable English and comes across as an intelligent person.
Like many parents, hers sent her out of the house after she got pregnant, so she moved in with the man who got her pregnant. Unfortunately, he was caught stealing sweet potatoes from some Hausa people.
He was beaten and left to bleed to death. After his death, things became much worse for Grace, who was left alone with four children: a four-year-old, three-year-old, two-year-old, and a one-year-old. A sister of the late father took the three-year-old, leaving Grace to fend for the other three.
“From her initial N500,000 intervention release (from Mrs. Eno), others reached out, expressing their desire to support her in taking care of Grace. Her Excellency directed all the traffic to the lady who took Grace’s story to Instagram, and her details were shared with everyone who wanted to contribute.
“From her tribe of over 300,000 followers, she raised almost N2,000,000. Normally, she runs small humanitarian campaigns where people contribute bit by bit for medical expenses, school fees, and other goodwill to help the needy.
“But she mentioned that this was the first time she had raised this much. Within days, and just before Her Excellency’s planned support for Grace, she had already raised more than N1.4 million.”
Plan for Grace
Ekong explained, “The plan for Grace was to address her lack of shelter. That issue has been resolved. A room apartment has been paid for, furnished, and she moved in with her children last week. A phone was also provided for her.
“She has been given a three-month supply of food. She didn’t have anything before this; now, she has a bed, cooking utensils, and a dining set for her children to enjoy their meals. The room apartment is spacious.”
“From the money she’s received, her monthly salary has been increased from N15,000 from her employer to N35,000, with an additional N20,000 added each month from the funds that have been raised for her.
“We are mindful that she is still a child, doesn’t have a bank account, and has no phone. You don’t just raise money and give it to her in bulk. She is already vulnerable, so anything that could lead her to live flamboyantly could make her a target. People might come under the guise of love and deceive her.
“We are working on providing her with training on managing the income she will be earning because we plan to give her a skill. We noticed that she made her children’s hair herself.
“We observed that she learned how to use hair attachments on her own, so we will provide her with formal training in that skill and set up a place for her to work. Additionally, we will train her in an alternative trade, such as selling foodstuffs or provisions,” he said.
Mental Evaluation
Ekong further explained, “We are not just giving money and walking away. We are going to provide a lot of support. The next step, before empowering her, will be a mental evaluation.
“After the mental evaluation, if Grace is okay, the next step is to proceed with skills acquisition and then set her up in her chosen skill and an alternative business.
“The mentorship will also include tutoring her on how to manage her finances and the income she will be generating, so she doesn’t waste her capital and can sustain her life. There are also plans to take her back to school and to ensure her children receive an education as well,” he added.
Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at Neptune Prime.
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Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
