Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA) marked the Christmas season with an atmosphere of warmth, joy, and solidarity at the Erelu Angela Adebayo Children’s Home in Iyin Ekiti, where the organisation held its annual Christmas party with children living at the home. The visit formed part of WELA’s long-standing commitment to standing with vulnerable children, particularly orphans, during moments that symbolise love, family, and belonging.
The Founder and Director of WELA, Mrs. Funmi Falana SAN, spent time with the children, sharing meals, music, dancing, gifts, and food items, and ensuring that the children experienced the joy and celebration that Christmas represents. The event was dedicated to reminding the children that they are valued, seen, and deserving of the same care and happiness enjoyed by their peers elsewhere.
Speaking during the visit, Mrs. Falana described Christmas as a time to show love in practical ways, noting that one of the most meaningful expressions of the season is giving to those who are often forgotten. She emphasised that the annual celebration at the home is intentional, serving both as a moment of joy and as a message of hope to children who have experienced loss, displacement, or neglect.
She urged Nigerians, particularly those with means, to channel their resources toward uplifting the less privileged, stressing that investments in the lives of vulnerable children have lasting impact. According to her, acts of compassion such as supporting orphaned and disadvantaged children lift spirits, restore dignity, and affirm shared humanity.
Mrs. Falana also reflected on the broader challenges facing children in Nigeria, noting that women and children are often the most affected by insecurity, poverty, and social instability. She expressed concern that many children now grow up in environments where homes and schools are no longer safe, and where their futures are threatened by violence, displacement, and neglect. She stressed that children, who bear no responsibility for the circumstances into which they are born, deserve protection, care, and a secure future.
During interactions with journalists, she reiterated WELA’s longstanding advocacy for stronger social protection systems and greater inclusion of women in governance, noting that compassionate leadership is essential to safeguarding the welfare of children and families. She explained that increased women’s representation in decision-making spaces would help prioritise social safety, education, and child welfare, areas often neglected in governance.
The visit also served as a moment of reflection on national responsibility, with Mrs. Falana calling on leaders to take decisive action against insecurity and crimes that disproportionately affect children and women. She emphasised that justice and accountability are necessary not only to deter crime but to restore public confidence and protect the nation’s future generations.
For the children at the Erelu Angela Adebayo Children’s Home, the day was filled with laughter, celebration, and reassurance. Beyond the food items and gifts presented, the most enduring offering was the sense of belonging created through shared celebration, attention, and care.
Through this annual Christmas outreach, Women Empowerment and Legal Aid continues to demonstrate that advocacy must be matched with compassion, and that protecting rights also means standing physically and emotionally with those who are most vulnerable. By celebrating Christmas with orphans, WELA reaffirms its belief that every child matters, and that no child should be left without hope, love, or dignity.