Foundation targets N500m for special needs children
A non-profit organisation, Concert for Change Foundation, has set a N500m target for this year’s Green Worship benefit concert to support vulnerable children and charities catering to children living with disabilities across Nigeria.
The foundation announced the target at a press conference in Lagos ahead of Green Worship 9.0, scheduled for Saturday, 10 October, at the MUSON Centre, Onikan.
The figure is more than double the N210m the foundation reported to have raised and disbursed since its inception in 2006 as Worship for Change. It disclosed that it had supported 49 charities and reached more than 8,000 children during the period.
Founder and Managing Trustee, Wale Adenuga, stated that six charities would benefit this year: OAKonsult Disabilities Outreach, Ogbomosho; Lokola School for the Deaf and Special Needs; Excellent Child Support Initiative, Ikorodu; Festus.
Fajemilo Foundation, Abule Egba; AIM Special Children Centre, Kaduna; and Irede Foundation, Lagos. Their needs range from specialised education and rehabilitation to prosthetic limbs, transportation, and infrastructure.
“Our goal is to raise 500 million Naira for these charities. If we raise more than expected, there are other charities on standby that we are open to helping,” Adenuga said.
Beneficiary organisations highlighted how crucial the funding is to their operations and long-term sustainability.
Founder and Director of Excellent Child Support Initiative in Ikorodu, Lagos, Amidu Kafaya, explained that her centre was born out of personal experience. “I launched it in 2016 because of my son, who has cerebral palsy. At the time, I was looking for a suitable school for him in Ikorodu, which ultimately led to founding the organisation,” she said.
She noted that many families in Ikorodu lacked access to quality education and therapy for special needs children. “I wanted to create a place that integrated both schooling and therapy in one location, so parents wouldn’t have to travel back and forth between different facilities,” Kafaya added.
The centre currently supports over 50 boys and girls. “Most of our parents face financial challenges. We rely on individuals donating therapy materials and food items, as well as a few NGOs sponsoring children, to keep going.”
Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Festus Fajemilo Foundation, Afolabi Fajemilo, detailed his organisation’s 20-year mission supporting individuals living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, complex lifelong neurological conditions requiring surgical treatment and ongoing multidisciplinary care.
“To date, we have supported 385 families and individuals. We currently operate across 11 public teaching hospitals in five of Nigeria’s six geopolitical regions. Support from organisations like Concert for Change helps us serve beneficiaries nationwide and raise awareness to debunk the spiritual and cultural myths surrounding these conditions,” Fajemilo said.
He emphasised that the financial burden on indigent families often leads to severe income strain and marital breakdowns, making external financial backing essential.
Executive Director of the Irede Foundation, Crystal Chigbu, shared that earlier support from the concert helped her organisation provide a prosthetic limb to a 17-year-old accident survivor, enabling her to return to active life. She expressed hope that this year’s funds will provide limbs for at least 10 more children.
Founder of OAKonsult Disabilities Outreach, Olufunke Adeloye, also emphasised that society must fundamentally shift how it views children with disabilities and their families.
Speaking on the motivation behind the initiative, Adenuga, who balances his work as a pastor, trained engineer, musician, and corporate event builder, reflected on his personal shift toward social impact.
“It came down to a heart-searching question: Did I want to accumulate more personal fame, or did I want to leverage the platform, resources, and network I already have to make a difference? I reached a point in life where I wanted to use what I have to improve the lives of underprivileged children,” Adenuga said.
Supported by a seven-member Board of Trustees from the corporate sector and a team of roughly 20 volunteers, the foundation operates with rigorous oversight by verifying beneficiaries, tracking allocations, and reporting publicly on funds raised.
On the role of government in addressing these issues, Adenuga acknowledged the structural gaps. “Government support is certainly needed across the board; even basic public schools need attention, let alone specialised care, which often ends up at the bottom of the priority list,” he noted.
“Government should do its part, but as charities, we simply can’t afford to sit back and wait for them to act”, he added.
Organisers stressed that they are seeking widespread contributions from individuals, families, businesses, churches, and civic groups rather than relying on a single large donor. Planning committee member, Kunle Popoola, urged the public to partner with the foundation to ensure indigent and differently abled children gain access to education and community life.
The Green Worship 9.0 concert will feature performances by prominent gospel artistes, including Nathaniel Bassey, Bob Fitts, Ada Ehi, Kaestrings, Pelumi Deborah, Chimi Ochei, Ccioma, and Gospel Force. Adenuga emphasised that the beneficiaries’ stories remain central to the event.
Fundraising will continue after the event through the foundation’s 21 Days of Giving campaign, launching on October 11.
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