Children are naturally curious. Putting a thread on a child’s head triggers a sensation which tricks the brain towards finding out what’s on the head instead of the diaphragm or phrenic nerves .
This reset the brain to stop or reduce the number of hiccups. Our mothers knew a lot
After @fattyyyronkeee’s viral post about the three sisters who volunteered to clean a mosque after school hour, I promised to give them N100K cash and a Fire HD tablet as a “Thank You” for their selfless act.
Last Friday, I spoke with the Muslim girls and their Christian mother to fulfil my promise. When I asked how they would prefer to receive the gifts, I inadvertently opened a chapter of a touching story impacting their daily life.
I was not feeling comfortable sending money through a third party (a POS operator they barely knew). I asked for the mother’s bank details to send the cash, only to discover she had never opened a bank account despite being in her 40s.
Besides, she had no phone; only had a SIM card. I spoke to them through @fattyyyronkeee’s mobile phone. So, how would I get the cash and the tablet to Odomola in Epe, Lagos State, where they live?
I was stumped.
There’s no dispatch rider who would pick up items in Lagos Mainland and deliver in Epe, a faraway town.
I thought the best option was to physically hand the gifts to them. So midday Saturday, I drove down to Epe to meet these lovely girls and their mother.
Then, I learned about their life struggles.
The mother, an Egun from Badagry, became an orphan before she was 10. After her mother passed during childbirth, she was raised by her uncle. Her father died a few years later. She has no formal education or vocational skills; she only earns a living by helping fishermen in Epe prepare their catch for sale. For a full day, she earns N2,000.
Her husband? She said the man, a fisherman and an Epe indigene, had abandoned them. He only visits occasionally, according to her. She alone has to bear the difficult job of catering for her daughters, who live with her in her husband’s family house.
The eldest girl, Habibat, a 16-year-old, is in JSS 3 at Odomola Community High School. After school, she used to resume at a beauty and confectionery shop where she’s learning catering, hairdressing and makeup. However, after seven months of free learning, she was stopped from going when her master demanded a N50,000 agreement fee, which her mother couldn’t afford.
Despite their situation, their mother said she never considered withdrawing them from school. The other two girls — Fatimah and Lateefat; both are in JSS 2 and Primary 4.
Right there, we contacted Habibat’s master, Mrs. Omoyele, and asked for her account details to pay the agreement fee.
Done. Habibat will resume her vocational training tomorrow (Monday).
Since the money and gift were meant for the girls, I asked their mother what kind of support she needed. She said she would love to start her own fish business if she got N100,000 starting capital.
I gave her a new mobile phone and N300,000 in cash, half of which was donated by the Special Adviser on SGDs to Lagos State Governor, Dr. @Oreoluwa_Finnih, plus money received earlier from people who read @fattyyyronkeee’s post.
Dr. Finnih also promised to provide further empowerment for the mother in whatever craft or business she chooses.
Other people, who read the post, have also pledged to send money to the girls.
I instructed the mother to open a proper bank account with Access Bank, which is the closest bank to them. However, she will need to first register for a NIN before opening the account. So, this might take a few days.
In the meantime, we have a trusted POS operator who can collect the money pledged on their behalf and give them the cash.
@fattyyyronkeee will share the account details under this post for anyone who wishes to support them. Receipts of money sent need to be shared with @fattyyyronkeee via DM for accountability and reconciliation with the POS operator.