Hundreds of parents of multiple birth children in Ekiti State have been provided with cash gifts and food items under the Multiple Birth Trust Fund Project.
Ekiti State Governor’s Wife, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, said in Ado Ekiti, while distributing the items, that the project launched in 2011 was part of a broader initiative aimed at alleviating poverty and combating child mortality.
She said: “This programme has been a source of hope for families, particularly those from indigent backgrounds, who face the challenge of caring for multiple newborns.
The Multiple Birth Trust Fund ensures that these families are not left to struggle alone, thereby providing vital support at a critical time in their lives.
According to the First Lady, a law has been put in place for multiple births through a Steering Committee with the role of supervising the scheme, ensuring effective implementation and support for families with multiple births.
She expressed optimism that with the collaborative efforts of every stakeholder, a brighter, healthier future for Ekiti State could be built.
In her remark, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Peju Babafemi, acknowledged that multiple births remained a blessing to mankind and encouraged parents to take good care of their children to become great.
In their goodwill messages, other stakeholders, including Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye, urged the society not to see children with multiple births as a burden but as a blessing from God that requires care that would nurture them to become future leaders.
One of the beneficiaries of the programme, Mrs Felicia Akenroye, thanked the stakeholders for ensuring the well-being of parents with multiple births and solicited the continuity of the programme.
