
Oyetty Foundation For Special Parents spent a whooping N48.5 million in 2024 on the empowerment of parents of children with special needs in the country.
The foundation was established in 2022 and has made significant strides in empowering caregivers by providing financial and emotional support to them.
Speaking at the second anniversary of the foundation held in Lagos over the weekend, the founder of the foundation, Oyetola Akande, said the amount spent was to assist parents of children with special needs to set up businesses, pay rent, sponsor their education or skill acquisition.
According to Akande, the reason for the empowerment was to help parents of children with special needs to become self-reliant.
She said, “We care for parents of children with special needs; we assist them in setting up businesses, paying rent, and sponsoring their education or skills acquisition. The goal is to help them become self-reliant so they can, in turn, provide better care for their children.”
“This is our 3rd major gathering, and although it marks our 2nd anniversary, we will always urge parents to take care of themselves and with the support we provide, it will enable them to better cater to their children.”
Reiterating Akande’s vision for children with special needs, her husband, Olusegun Akande, expressed pride in the foundation’s accomplishments over the past two years and its impact on families.
“There is a stigma in this country that discourages families of children with special needs from seeking help. We encourage them to step out, engage, and access the right support,” he said.
He further revealed that the foundation plan for 2025 is to triple the N48.5 million spent in 2024.
Akande also commended the foundation’s team—Oyetola Akande, Adedolapo Agunlekin, Oluwatoyin Alakija, and Mr. Isola Oladimeji—for their unwavering commitment to the growth of the foundation.
Speaking, a mother of a 9-year-old daughter with Down syndrome, Simons Faloge, commended the foundation’s efforts.
She emphasized the importance of parents understanding that raising a child with special needs is not the end of the world.
“Parents must love their children, see the unique challenges as opportunities, and thrive in their endeavors,” she said.
She urged parents to speak up and seek help when needed while also praising the Oyetty Foundation as a community that offers genuine support to those who need it.
Faloge also called on more individuals and organizations to join hands in creating a brighter future for families of children with special needs.