On Wednesday, June 12th, 19 members of CODISA gathered for the 40th Anniversary mini-project presentations, marking one of the largest turnouts in recent memory. Our first visit was to the Festus Fajemilo Foundation (FFF) in Abule-Egba, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting children affected by spina bifida and hydrocephalus in Nigeria.
We were warmly welcomed by Mr. Afolabi Fajemilo, co-founder of the Foundation, along with his dedicated staff. Since FFF is not a residential establishment, we did not meet any of the children on site. Mr. Fajemilo shared the deeply personal story of how the Foundation began. He and his wife founded FFF based on their experiences with their first child, Festus, who has hydrocephalus.
Initially, they sought herbal and spiritual treatments, avoiding medical intervention. The turning point came when Mr. Fajemilo was asked to bring a bird from the Oba’s palace in Ife at 1 a.m., making him realize they were being misled. By then, Festus’s head circumference had grown alarmingly from 23 cm to 66 cm. In 2005, they finally opted for surgery, which unfortunately led to complications, preventing Festus from walking for the first nine years of his life.
Driven by their challenges, Mr. and Mrs. Fajemilo started a parent support group at LASUTH, beginning with seven families who met monthly to discuss their struggles and solutions. This group eventually evolved into the Festus Fajemilo Foundation, gaining credibility through the support of Ambassador Segun Olusola.
In 2009, they connected with the Liliane Foundation in the Netherlands, which supports children with special needs aged 0-25 years. The Liliane Foundation took them onboard, providing funds for the education and livelihood of the 10 children under FFF’s care. Within the first year of this partnership, FFF expanded to support 104 children by 2010, bringing three other centers under their umbrella.
The Foundation’s support is community-based, linking beneficiaries to critical services. Over the years, FFF has conducted several special projects, including social protection, mental health awareness, and continence management for children with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. They currently partner with eight public health facilities across Nigeria, including LUTH and LASUTH. Their continence management project has trained 80 nurses and reached 250 children. Due to the damaged nerves of these children, continence control is a significant challenge, and this training enables them to interact and play in school, improving their self-esteem.
Next month, FFF plans to host specialized continence nurses from the UK to further enhance the capacity of Nigerian nurses and provide free continence equipment. FFF’s mission is to uplift the spirits of parents and caregivers and provide mutual encouragement.
Mr. Fajemilo expressed his heartfelt gratitude to CODISA for their continued support over the years, including a yearly donation of 200,000 Naira for education, the provision of their largest generator, activity mats, and other essential items.
During our visit, we worshipped, prayed, and presented medical kits containing TENS machines and electrodes, along with educational toys. We also toured their small but well-managed facility, including the continence training room, physio room, storage, and playroom.
This visit was a powerful reminder of the impact that dedicated support and community can have on the lives of children and their families. It was a privilege to witness the incredible work of the Festus Fajemilo Foundation and to contribute to their mission.