Nadia Zakaria, the 16-year-old daughter of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has built, furnished and handed over a fully equipped orphanage home to Oyiza-Salem Divine Orphanage Home in Etahi Community, Okene Local Government Area of Kogi.
Nadia raised funds for the project through donations from family, friends and members of the public, saying she conceived the initiative at 15 after reflecting on the challenges faced by children without adequate care and support.
The facility was commissioned amid excitement from community members, religious leaders, children and other guests. It is expected to provide improved accommodation and welfare for vulnerable children in the orphanage.
Speaking at the commissioning, Nadia said the project began as an idea to create a safe and supportive environment for children who had not had the opportunities she enjoyed growing up.
“My name is Nadia Zakaria, I’m 16 years old, and today is a very special and emotional day for me. “About a year ago, this was simply an idea. I wanted to do something meaningful for children who, through no fault of their own, have not had some of the opportunities that many of us take for granted.
“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 raising the funds initially appeared daunting because she had never undertaken such a project. “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.
According to Nadia, contributions from her family, friends and members of the public enabled her to construct and furnish the 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.
Nadia urged young Nigerians to contribute to society regardless of their age or financial status. “This experience has taught me something that I hope other young people will remember: 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.
She thanked those who supported the project and encouraged the children to remain hopeful and pursue their dreams.
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Her mother, Akpoti-Uduaghan, said she did not contribute financially to the project, noting that Nadia independently mobilized the resources used for the construction and furnishing of the home.
“My daughter, Nadia, sourced the money spent on the building by herself without me contributing one kobo to the project,” the senator said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan added that Nadia was developing another humanitarian initiative to support pregnant women in Kogi Central.
The founder of Oyiza-Salem Divine Orphanage Home, Pastor Kisito Adomu Zuberu, said the intervention had significantly improved the children’s living conditions.
“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.
Zuberu said the orphanage had continued to prioritize the education and development of the children despite its challenges.
He disclosed that two children had been sent to university, with one studying at the School of Nursing, Obangede, while another, Alhassan, had graduated from the University of Abuja.
He added that another child was studying at Kwara State University, while one was awaiting mobilization for the National Youth Service Corps.
Eight children were currently in primary school, while two others were undergoing vocational training, including tailoring and other skills acquisition programmes.
The management, staff and children of the orphanage thanked Nadia and Akpoti-Uduaghan for the intervention, describing it as a gesture that had provided improved shelter, security and dignity for the children.
The commissioning was attended by community leaders, residents and other dignitaries who commended the initiative.
