Sanwo-Olu unveils welfare program for vulnerable groups in Lagos

Sanwo-Olu unveils welfare program for vulnerable groups in Lagos.

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Thursday unveiled the Social Welfare Integrated Programme Initiative (SWIPI) for vulnerable groups in the state.

Speaking during the unveiling at Ikeja, Sanwo-Olu said that SWIP was aimed at supporting orphanages, elderly care homes and others in the areas of addressing their infrastructure, medical, education, nutrition and training needs.

He vowed to take the lead in the care of orphans, children with special needs, the elders, the mentally challenged, and other vulnerable groups, to give hope and make life meaningful to them.

The governor said there was a lot to be done to care for the less privileged in the society and his government would not give excuses, urging all to collaborate with the government to make positive differences.

”We all can make a difference if we choose to and this is why I am indeed happy with this SWIPI project, because there is no better thing we can do to mankind than ensuring that we make life better for our next-door neighbor,” he said.

Speaking earlier, after her investiture as the Grand Patron of SWIPI, the wife of the Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, said that she was fascinated by the objective of the organisation which is focused on helping to tremendously improve the quality and value of care to the less privileged in society.

She commended SWIPI for a training curriculum for registered caregivers, using world-class facilitators.

She said that the feedback had resulted in improved knowledge and delivery of care by the caregivers in all the registered homes and orphanages in the state.

”The organisation has also been strong in improving the quality of social welfare administration.

“This is through the donation of critical equipment and facilities such as digital tablets, computers, boreholes, water treatment plants, toilet facilities, among others, to ramp up the care of the vulnerable in the homes,” Sanwo-Olu said.

She called for deliberate policies and laws to ensure that registered orphanages and elderly care homes adhered to best practices.

The governor’s wife said that efforts should be put in place to address the issue of unregistered homes, with the view to ensuring that they were properly regulated.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of SWIPI, Dr Kolawole Ajayi, said that the organisation consisted of 11 professionals from different walks of life.

Ajayi said that the professionals had incredible love for children and were concerned about the social, economic, health, and welfare of vulnerable children, particularly those in orphanages.

He said that SWIPI was concerned about children with some learning disorders abandoned in the orphanages and the less privileged adults in the elderly homes in the state.

According to him, the focus of the project is to address the identified gaps in social welfare practice and administration.

At the event, digital tablets were presented to 14 registered elderly care homes to enhance their operations toward e-learning.

They included the Rock Garden Home for the Elderly, Jozel Care, Chrisgloria Nursing, Precious Jewels, Winiseph Care Home, Blue Gate Home Care-Healthcare, Centre for Happy Elderly People, and Mariam Akintola Senior Citizens Care Home.

Others are the Old People’s Rehabilitation Centre, The Cathedral Circle Initiative, Primecare Rehabilitation Resources Limited, Old People’s Home, Multibeniose Elderly and Motherly Care, and The Shepherd’s Heaven.