A UK-based community organisation founded by a Nigerian-named social worker who is herself raising children with disabilities has taken its work to Lagos, reaching around 100 families with food, clothing and school supplies, according to a report by BellaNaija.
The group, OBIMI CIC, focuses on parents and caregivers of children with special educational needs and disabilities, commonly shortened to SEND. Its Nigeria outreach gathered families in Lagos to swap experiences and to raise awareness about understanding disability and confronting the stigma that often surrounds it.
Who is behind OBIMI
OBIMI was founded by Helen Ewumi, a qualified social worker who is also a parent of children with disabilities. BellaNaija reported that both her professional background and her home life shape the organisation's mission, which centres on making families feel heard, supported and less isolated.
According to the report, Ewumi saw the Lagos trip as a chance to build relationships with families and communities in the city. Having cared for children with disabilities herself while working in social care, she is described as knowing first-hand how much it matters for parents to be listened to and backed up.
What families received
Roughly 100 families benefited from the outreach, with support that included food hampers. Clothing was also distributed among the families who attended.
The OBIMI team also visited a special school in Lagos, where pupils were handed school bags and stationery. The school was not named in the report. The gifts, BellaNaija said, were meant to help the children with their studies and to reassure them that they are valued and included.
A conversation about belonging
Beyond the donations, the gathering gave parents room to meet one another and join discussions about disability, a subject many Nigerian families still navigate quietly because of stigma and misunderstanding.
BellaNaija summed up the organisation's stance this way: "OBIMI's message was clear: every child deserves to belong, and families should be met with understanding, respect and support."
The organisation thanked the families, school staff, volunteers, partners and supporters who made the visit possible, and said it hopes to keep building links and raising awareness so that children with disabilities and their families feel seen, supported and included.
What is not yet known
The report did not give the exact date of the outreach, the name of the special school, the specific Lagos locations involved, or details of the partners who supported the visit. It also did not say whether OBIMI plans a return trip to Nigeria, beyond its stated hope to continue the work. BellaNaija noted that the piece was published free of charge as part of its corporate social responsibility programme.
