COFFHA Celebrates 25th Anniversary

…..Pledges to give more support to underprivileged women, children

By Ngozi Okpalakunne

The hall of Bay Lounge in Lagos was recently filled to the capacity with men and women from different walks of life who came to celebrate with the Committee of Friends for Humanity (COFFHA), a group of women who have excelled in their chosen professions, on their 25 years anniversary of existence.

The event worth its while as it gave the association opportunity to recognise and appreciate those that have supported them in the past years .

Speaking at the event, President of COFFHA, Mrs. Carolyn Akum Ufere said that her association’s vision is to bring hope and social justice where the less privileged can live in dignity and security, and added that COFFHA had been able to create a platform where the privileged can lend a helping hand to the under-privileged, thereby committing themselves to enhance better social life and livelihood in Nigeria.

Giving a brief background of how COFFHA came into existence 25 years ago, Mrs. Ufere said it was an ideal she conceived with two other women.

“ COFFHA was a dream conceived and started 25 years ago through the passion of three women who came together as friends carrying the same mandate for charity after which they invited other ladies of like minds”, she said.

The association she pointed out was made up of accomplished women of integrity in business and public service; with a mission to support, encourage and uplift the less privileged, widows and children in the society.

According to her, COFFHA has been sourcing for funds to care for the less privileged by tasking themselves, request for funds from friends as well as their husbands who have been there for them. . “It’s been a long journey this past 25 years and I’m happy today that we are still together doing the work of charity,” she added.

Ufere highlighted some of the projects executed so far by COFFHA to include : rehabilitation of a young woman called Esther and her baby who was abandoned by her parents due to teenage pregnancy; building and equipping of COFFHA emergency center at Isolo General Hospital, Lagos; refurbishment and furnishing of a 16 bed female ward at Apapa Health Center, Apapa, Lagos; donation of Kidney Dialysis Machine to Gbagada General Hospital; renovation of the Children’s ward B, General Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos.

Others were Widow Empowerment Project executed in Awka, Anambra State, and Lagos State; quarterly donation of food items and provisions to various orphanages within Lagos; donation of wheelchairs to Lagos Health Management Board, among others.

The Committee she revealed is not resting on its oars as it is planning to build an empowerment center for widows and the less privileged in the society.

In her words, “Our plan now is to build empowerment centre, the skill acquisition centre will be able to provide the necessary skills for the widows and less privileged in the society learn skills that can make them become self-sufficient, and also make them become independent without necessarily asking for alms”.

Speaking about the role of women in nation building, she said : “There is an adage that says, “when you educate a woman you educate the entire nation”, it is a whole lot, women should ensure that their children are well trained, they should support their husbands. Women should also ensure that the task they take up will impact positively on the person around them.

There is positive contribution to nation building when you have women as leaders”, she said.

Speaking earlier, the wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Amosun described what COFFAH is doing as an encouragement for other women to come out and give a helping hand to the need in the society. She invited COFFHA to extend their activities to Ogun State, promising to work with the association. “We are ready to give a helping hand attires as long as it has to do with less privileged”, she added.

On her part, Mrs. Esther Oti who also spoke at the event, lauded the initiative of the women and added that their achievements so far would go a long way in ameliorating the plights of the underprivileged women and children in the country.