The Abia State University Alumni Association, Lagos Chapter (also known as LasLegend), has donated food items and household goods to the Bales of Mercy Orphanage Home in Bariga, Lagos, as part of its end-of-year activities.

Led by the association’s president, Mrs. Hilda Nkor, the group visited the orphanage on Saturday to carry out the donation, which is part of their ongoing efforts to give back to society. The donated items included a bag of drinks, toiletries, rice, staple foods, and other essentials.

In an interview with PUNCH Metro after the donation, Nkor shared that the alumni members interacted with the children during their visit and were impressed by their intelligence. She noted that the children were excited to receive the group, and the experience was humbling for the alumni.

“We have a tradition in our association of giving back to society and showing love where it matters most,” Nkor explained. “Christmas is a season where we celebrate the greatest love of all—the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, who came to die for our sins. He commanded us to love one another, and that is the driving force behind this visit. We’ve done similar activities in the past, but with other organizations.”

“The presentation went very well,” she continued. “The children were thrilled to have us. We interacted with them and found many to be very intelligent. It was a humbling experience for us, seeing how happy and content they were despite having so little.”

Nkor emphasized that caring for the less privileged should be a shared responsibility. The group also urged the Federal Government to allocate more funding to orphanages caring for vulnerable children nationwide, suggesting that this would allow orphanage staff to focus more on the children’s care and development.

“The government, as far as I know, has set up welfare offices across the country,” Nkor said. “They regulate orphanage activities and sometimes offer support. However, I believe more can be done. There is a need for greater awareness of orphanages and old people’s homes, along with guidance for the public on how to engage with them. The government should also consider providing more funding so administrators can concentrate on the care and development of the children.”

Ngozi Enyi-Igbokwe, the founder of Bales of Mercy Orphanage, expressed her gratitude to the alumni for their visit; “We want to thank them for their time, their kind gesture, and their generous donations and prayers,” Enyi-Igbokwe said. “It was a highly commendable act, and we sincerely appreciate their visit.”