This was originally posted on the CREATIV blog on 15th march 2011.
After just over a year, CREATIV came face to face with its raison d’être. On Monday 3rd January, Olamide and I travelled to Ibeshe to meet the boys being housed in the residential and rehabilitation centre built and managed by Child Life-Line.
In the morning we were greeted by Mrs. Marion Sikuade, a founder of the voluntary, non-profit organisation devoted to the care and protection of children and young people on the streets of Lagos. She spent some time with us explaining the origins of the charity, what they do now and the hopes for the future. We were then put in the very capable hands of Ms. Rose Swan, the charity’s administrator, and made our way down the Ikorodu road towards Ibeshe. Rose gave us an insight into how the centre is run on a day to day basis and who is involved in supporting the nineteen boys between the ages of nine and seventeen who currently reside there. She also shared with us that in a city like Lagos, ruled mainly by a desire for material acquisition, she works for this charity because she genuinely believes in what the organisation is doing and trying to achieve.
In a city like Lagos, ruled mainly by a desire for material acquisition, she works for this charity because she genuinely believes in what the organisation is doing and trying to achieve.
Finally, after the bumpy ride down the Ibeshe path we arrive at our destination; a two-acre piece of open, grassy land in which sits the boys’ dormitory, the kitchen and dining-hall block, two staff bungalows and a temporary vocational workshop for basketry and carpentry. Most of the boys were playing table tennis or engaged in some recreational activity but as we entered, the room hushed. Olamide and I were introduced by the House Master who explained that we wanted to spend some time talking to everyone individually. I could see the eager curiosity in the faces of the younger ones and in the older boys too, although they tried to mask it underneath a cool exterior.
Being very much as noisy and exuberant as young boys are, there were many displays of bravado with some of the boys bravely marching up to us without waiting to be asked. However, when sitting with them one-to-one, all the showmanship disappeared, exposing the shyness of their youth. Despite this, the boys were very open; telling us about their relationships with their family; exactly how they came to be in the centre, what they had been doing previously; why they did not want to leave the centre and how much they would like satellite tv. They told us about their favourite subjects in school and what they wanted to be when they grew up: doctors; lawyers engineers; teachers; bank managers; actors and of course artists.
It was very clear that a better life was made possible for these boys by being in the centre. They were safe and cared for, able to go to school and also take part in any number of extra-curricular activities: print-making; sewing; carpentry; acting and football. I could also see from looking into their faces that these boys appreciated this life-line being thrown to them, which is why they grabbed it firmly with both hands willing to climb to the very top.
As we were leaving we asked if we could take pictures, and as if by magic all the shyness disappeared; posing and posing some more; insisting on more photos and eventually asking for our email addresses which we gladly exchanged.
The visit to Ibeshe gave CREATIV its second wind. After struggling with limited time and resources it was rejuvenating to see exactly what our efforts were for, and satisfying to see that our initial donation would directly impact the live of nineteen people who deserve it.
Adekunmi Olatunji 