Daughter of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Nadia Zakaria, has built, equipped and handed over an orphanage home in Etahi Community, Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The newly constructed facility was commissioned on Sunday amid celebrations by community members, religious leaders, children and other well-wishers.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by Natasha’s media aide, Mike Idoko.
The orphanage, which was initiated by 16-year-old Nadia when she was 15, was funded through donations and support mobilised from her family, friends and members of the public.
The project, according to the statement, was handed to the management of Oyiza-Salem Divine Orphanage Home, which described it as a significant intervention that would provide shelter, dignity and a better environment for vulnerable children under its care.
Speaking at the commissioning, Nadia said the idea was inspired by her desire to help children who had not enjoyed the opportunities she had growing up.
She said, “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?”
Nadia said raising the money required to execute the project initially appeared difficult because of her age and lack of experience.
“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.
‘With the incredible generosity of my family, friends and even 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 stated.
Nadia urged young Nigerians to embrace humanitarian initiatives, irrespective of their age or financial capacity.
She said, “To every single person who donated, shared my message, encouraged me or simply believed in this project, thank you from the bottom of my heart. This would not have been possible without you.”
Also speaking at the event, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she did not make any financial contribution to the project, stressing that her daughter independently mobilised the resources used to build it.
“My daughter, Nadia, sourced the money spent on the building by herself without me contributing one kobo to the project,” the Senator stated.
She disclosed that Nadia was already planning another intervention for women in Kogi Central.
“She is already developing a plan to build a heavily equipped care home for pregnant women in Kogi Central,” Senator Natasha announced.
The senator commended her daughter for taking up the initiative, saying young people could contribute meaningfully to society when driven by compassion and determination.
Earlier in his speech, the Founder of Oyiza-Salem Divine Orphanage Home, Pastor Kisito Zuberu, recalled the difficult conditions under which the children had previously lived.
“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 support the education and development of the children despite financial challenges.
The institution said the project had provided more than shelter, noting that the new facility would offer the children a safer and more dignified environment in which to live and pursue their education.