Nadia, daughter of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, formally handed over the facility to the orphanage at a ceremony in Etahi Community.
By Ife Osemedua
365Daily – 16-year-old Nigerian, Nadia Zakaria, has raised funds to construct and fully equip a new home for vulnerable children at Oyiza-Salem Divine Orphanage Home in Okene, Kogi State.
Nadia, daughter of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, formally handed over the facility to the orphanage at a ceremony in Etahi Community, Okene Local Government Area, witnessed by community leaders, religious leaders, residents, children and other well-wishers.
The project, which Nadia conceived at the age of 15, was made possible through donations and support she mobilised from family members, friends and members of the public.
The new facility, equipped with modern amenities, is expected to significantly improve the living conditions and welfare of the children at the orphanage.
For Nadia, the project began with a simple desire to provide vulnerable children with the kind of care, security and opportunities she had experienced while growing up.
She said her upbringing in a loving and supportive family prompted her to think about children who had not been afforded similar opportunities.
“I have been blessed to grow up in a loving and supportive home, surrounded by people who care for me. And I found myself asking: What about the children who didn’t get that same chance? Don’t they deserve to feel safe, loved and cared for too?” she said.
Nadia admitted that the financial demands of the project initially appeared overwhelming, particularly because she was only 15 and had never undertaken such an initiative before.
“At first, raising enough money to build an orphanage seemed almost impossible. I was only 15, and I had never done anything like this before. But I decided to try,” she said.
With the support of donors, she said, the project grew from an idea into a completed facility.
“With the incredible generosity of my family, friends and even complete strangers, we raised enough not only to build this home, but also to furnish every room.
“And today, what started as an idea has become a home,” she said.
The teenager urged other young Nigerians to take action on issues affecting their communities instead of waiting until they become older or financially powerful.
“You don’t have to wait until you are older, richer or more powerful to make a difference. You just have to care enough to start,” she said.
Nadia also had a message for the children who will occupy the new facility, assuring them that they deserve love, dignity and the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
“I hope you always know that you are loved, you matter and your dreams matter.
“May this home be a place where you feel safe, where you laugh, where you grow, and where you are never afraid to dream big,” she said.
Speaking at the event, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan disclosed that she did not provide financial support for the construction of the facility, stressing that her daughter sourced the funds independently.
“My daughter, Nadia, sourced the money spent on the building by herself without me contributing one kobo to the project,” the senator said.
She added that her daughter was already planning another humanitarian intervention in Kogi Central, aimed at supporting pregnant women.
“She is already developing a plan to build a heavily equipped care home for pregnant women in Kogi Central,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said.
The senator commended Nadia’s initiative, describing it as an example of how young people can contribute to positive social change through compassion, determination and purposeful action.
For the founder of Oyiza-Salem Divine Orphanage Home, Pastor Kisito Adomu Zuberu, the intervention has brought a dramatic change to the lives of the children.
Recalling their previous living conditions, Zuberu said some of the children had been sleeping on the floor before the project was undertaken.
“When they came last year, the children were sleeping on the ground, but today Miss Nadia Zakari has given us a fully equipped mansion,” he said.
Despite its challenges, the orphanage has continued to support the education and development of the children in its care.
Zuberu disclosed that two children had proceeded to university, with one studying at the School of Nursing, Obangede, while another, Alhassan, had graduated from the University of Abuja. Another child is studying at Kwara State University, while one is awaiting NYSC mobilisation.
He added that eight children were currently in primary school, while two others were undergoing vocational training, including tailoring and another skills acquisition programme.
The management, staff and children of the orphanage expressed gratitude to Nadia and those who supported the project, describing the intervention as an act of love and compassion that had provided the children with shelter, dignity, security and renewed hope.
The project has also drawn commendation from residents and community leaders, who described it as an uncommon youth-led humanitarian intervention.
With the completion and handover of the facility, the children at Oyiza-Salem Divine Orphanage Home now have access to a purpose-built and fully equipped residential environment that is expected to improve their welfare, safety and development.
What began as an idea in the mind of a 15-year-old has therefore become a tangible intervention for children whose circumstances had placed them at the margins of society, demonstrating that age does not necessarily determine the size of an individual’s impact.