The primary vision of the Chris Oyakhilome Foundation International was to offer support to impoverished children all over the world, enabling those less fortunate access to qualitative education, medical care, and physical and spiritual nourishment, helping them to lead purposeful lives in their futures.
When Chris Oyakhilome founded the NGO, he made a statement that stands at the core of our values:
“Remember, every child is your child! Help children, don’t ignore children. They are our extension; they are our future. No matter how dirty or untouchable they are, think again. You were just that small one day, but you were fortunate to have someone help you. Many of these are fortunate to have us if we would only open our hearts, our minds, and our eyes and ignore them no more. We need to help give them a home, we need to help educate them, we need to help clothe them. As small as they are, as needy as they are, as frustrated as they are, they have dreams. We can help make those dreams come true!”
Maiden Conference a Success
Last year we introduced the Colouring Dreams Conference for the first time. This conference proved to be so successful that we are gearing up for the second edition on the 31st of August 2023, at 4:00PM (GMT+1).
At the end of the conference last year, the Esteemed Pastor Emeka Eze expressed: “There is a difference between pity and compassion. In pity, you can shake your head, hiss, and sigh but compassion produces miracles.”
“Overall we are thrilled at the success of our 2-day maiden conference which we are confident will make huge strides in making a difference in the lives of indigent children throughout the world.”
The theme of the conference this year is “Education in Emergency; A Call to Action”. This unprecedented Conference will address the challenges children, particularly indigent children, face today in accessing quality education.
Chris Oyakhilome, the founder of the Chris Oyakhilome Foundation International (COFI), put a great deal of emphasis on education when he said:
“For indigent children, Education is the number one opportunity for a way out of poverty.”
Knowledge Equals Power
At COFI we believe that education is a basic human right, a public good, and a public responsibility. Working with partners, sponsors, and volunteers, many initiatives and campaigns through the InnerCity Mission (ICM), under the COFI umbrella, are directed at improving education and educational facilities and making education accessible to all.
Nelson Mandela rightly called education “the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth, and adults behind.
Education stands as a cornerstone of sustainable development, prominently featured among the United Nations’ ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The SDGs recognize that accessible and inclusive education empowers individuals, transcending boundaries of gender, socio-economic status, and geography, and can be the catalyst needed to break the cycle of poverty. By cultivating knowledge, critical thinking, and skills, education propels communities towards brighter futures, fostering innovation, and nurturing the human capital essential for tackling global challenges.
Knowledge gives children the power to dream of a better future and the confidence needed to pursue a full education, which in turn will help generations to come.
Register now at icm.ngo/cdcon
#colouringdreams#EveryChildIsYourChild #EndChildPovertyNow
