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 Untold joy was on Sunday, September 5, 2021 brought to the residents of Obioma Camp, Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area when they received food items and household essentials from the wife of Delta State Governor and Founder, O5 Initiative, Dame Edith Okowa.

Living true to the submissions of Shannon Alder who once said: “Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones, a legacy etched into the minds of others are the stories they share about you”, Dame Okowa reached out to the not less than 500 vulnerable dwellers of the camp.

This was part of activities marking the 2021 International Day of Charity, celebrated every September 5 as a day set aside by the United Nations (UN) to sensitize and mobilize people and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) around the world to help others through philanthropic activities.

In her address, she recalled the Biblical story of the Good Samaritan, affirming that, “Love has no class, it has no tribe and has nothing to do with religion but remains any every day need necessary for the survival of all and sundry.

“At our various levels, if after we have lived, all we have to show to our maker is the personal properties we acquired, we have only succeeded in carving a place for ourselves in hell.

“In spite of all the items we have come with, the most important thing we have come with is the word of God which is able to supply all your needs, beyond what any human can do”.

She charged them to hold on to God and not look up to men or compromise their faith in their search for help. “I understand that things may not always be rosy but no one who held on to Jesus ever cried a cry of shame; no matter how painful the situation may be, Jesus will always show up at the end.”

The wife of the Governor during her visit to the settlers of the camp in the interior part of Illah, donated tons of food items including rice, beans, tubers of yam and drinks.

Other items donated include household essentials like clothes for children, wrappers for women, foot wears for all ages, umbrellas, school bags, toiletries and homecare materials for babies.

Young females were also counseled on personal hygiene after which they received free sanitary pads and healthcare products. Everyone present went home with gifts, to their elation.

In her brief exhortation, the secretary to the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Emeyazia urged the residents to look up to God as their source of help, while showing love to those around them.

Expressing their joy and gratitude, the residents danced in excitement, some displaying their free wares, while some others were hurrying home with bags of food stuffs.

Several who spoke, including the Chairman who acts as the leader of the camp and the Pastor of the Anglican Church in the settlement, Pastor Emmanuel Madu, said the gesture was beyond their expectations.

They thanked the wife of the Governor and members of the O5 Initiative, praying for and wishing them the blessings of God.

With this act, the wife of the Governor obeyed the call by the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which calls for a spirit of strengthened solidarity, focused in particular on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable.