TheCable

Sultana Nabilah’s Cerebral Palsy Foundation (SNCPF), a not-for-profit organisation focused on caring for teens and adults with neurological conditions, has unveiled plans to build an “inclusive village” for persons requiring special care.

The organisation announced the plan on Wednesday at its launch in Lagos.

SNCPF is an NGO created in honour of Nabilah, a 15-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, and it aims to provide holistic life for people requiring special care.

Nabilah

According to Akeem Oyetunde, chairman of the organisation’s board of trustees, although SNCPF was established in the name of Nabilah, it was created to provide a care net for other people with disabilities (PWDs).

Oyetunde, chairman of the organisation’s board of trustees

“It’s called Nabilah Foundation, but it’s not for Nabilah. It is for millions of Nabilah’s out there. And while people like Nabilah are fortunate to have wonderful parents and access to care, there are many people out there who do not,” he said.

“We are using Nabilah as a point of this initiative to reach as many people as planned. So, if indeed we can touch a hundred lives with this initiative, we would have done our part and made this world a better place.”

On her part, Raliat Oyetunde, the executive secretary of the organisation’s board of trustees, said the inclusive village would include purpose-built studio flats, 18 two-bedroom apartments, a recreation and therapy hall, an office building, spaces for entrepreneurial activities, a cinema, laundry, and green areas.

Raliat Oyetunde

She added that a minimum of 2000sqm space would be needed for the project on the Lagos mainland for easy access to the metropolis.

“Nabilah is currently in a boarding school, among peers with similar conditions and she is thriving in this environment,” Oyetunde said.

“Now, she’s turned 15 and we thought about where would she want to be when she finished school.

“Then, we said we need to build a community for her; for millions of people like her, let’s put together a community for them and that was how we started.

Nabilah with some of her classmates at the launch

“We are here to share a common goal of hope for these special people of determination.”

In her remarks at the launch, Denike Oyetunde-Lawal, a senior special assistant to the Lagos governor on PWDs, spoke on the importance of the proposed facility, and gave the assurance of the commitment of the state government to the initiative.

Oyetunde-Lawal

“There’s a genuine worry of exclusion of people with disabilities from the rest of the society. But then, there’s not knowing how they will adapt until we try. SNCPF will definitely hear from the Lagos state government,” she said.

On her part, Mary Akpobome, a member of the organisation’s board of trustees, said the initiative will not only offer a thriving environment for PWDs, but it will also allow creative bloom and brilliance.

Nabilah with Akpobome, her ‘godmother’ who is also a member of board of trustees

Akpobome then pledged N15 million to the cause.

SNCPF, thereafter, made an open call for partners and donors to the project.

Interested parties can reach them at [email protected].