By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano, on Friday re-united 10 recuperated mentally-challenged persons that have been treated and certified healthy with their families.

Among them were four women, five men and a teenage boy.

Mrs. Obiano’s non-governmental organisation, Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFE), since its inception in 2015 has partnered with the State Ministry of Health to remain in the forefront of helping the less privileged members of the society, widows, the abandoned and mentally deranged persons.

The release of the 10 patients brings the total of the mentally retarded persons that have been certified well and re-united with their families at the 77-bed space facility located at Nteje, Oyi Local Government Area of the state to 110.

Speaking at the ceremony which was held at the Nteje Mentally Challenged Home, Mrs. Obiano expressed her belief in the core values of sharing love and goodwill with fellow human beings without discrimination to societal standing.

She harped on the need for people to share love saying that it is what encourages her to do her best in improving the fortunes of the less privileged.

While reminiscing on how she began her charity work in 1991, she reiterated her NGO 's resolve to continue to shine a light of hope for the less privileged.

“My belief in the core values of sharing would never wane. I urge you to resist the reoccurring incidence of gender-based violence,” Mrs. Obiano said.

She hailed her husband, Governor Willie Obiano, for the encouragement and support given to her in the running of CAFE saying that he donates his salaries to the cause of the programme.

She appealed to public spirited Anambra people to reach out to the inmates of the centre with donations, especially in the area of feeding.

Earlier in his speech, the Speaker of the Anambra State House Assembly, Rt. Hon Uchenna Okafor, described Mrs. Obiano as a rare breed whose work is exemplary.

He observed that the NGO is achieving results with personal funding and support of philanthropists.

Okafor promised that the State House of Assembly would soon lend their own support to the Home.

In her remarks, the member representing Nnewi North at the Anambra State House of Assembly, and Chairman House Committee on Woman Affairs, Hon Nonso Okafor, expressed his desire to emulate the good works of Mrs. Obiano by building a house for a widow in his constituency.

On his part, the Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Chief Uchenna Okafor, described Osodieme as “Mrs Project” due to the various works of her NGO has done.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Vincent Okpala, described the success of the centre as a perfect reflection of Mrs. Obiano’s life as epitome of benevolence.

Earlier in her address, the Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Lady Ndidi Mezue, stated that the centre has witnessed a geometric increase in the number of inmates as a result of constant raiding and rescue of stray mentally challenged persons from the streets.

She commended the Governor’s wife for the tremendous support her NGO gives the facility, and assured that the Ministry of Women Affairs will continue to sustain the initiative.

Speaking on behalf of the rehabilitated inmates, Mrs. Chinyere Egolum, an indigene of Nise, Awka South Council Area of the state, thanked the wife of the Governor and the Ministry for providing them with facilities that ensured their recovery.

One of the high points of the ceremony was the commissioning of the refurbished Sickbay, which has a supervising medical doctor, and a Skills Acquisition centre for the inmates to learn different crafts while recovering.