She has a heart of gold!

She will pass for any ordinary student, Oluwatimilehin (Timi) Onafeso,21 from a family of several children born and raised in the city of Ijebu-ode in the heart of Ijebu land, Ogun State crossed my path in the month of May this year when she paraded 20 orphaned children she has devoted the last 2 years to cater for. The event was a leadership training programme organized by the Theophilus Cornerstone led NSSIE-Nigerian Society of Student Investors and Entreprenuer- at the main auditorium Olabisi Onabanjo University mini campus.
I caught up with her recently (10/10/2006) in her room on campus and here are excerpts from a moving and, very emotional interview:

Me: where are the kids?

Timi: the kids are refugees who had lost their parents in the Liberian war. They are presently putting up with the camp pastor at the Oru refugee camp. The camp pastor provides them shelter while I clothe and feed them as well as provide for their schooling.

Me: what do you do?

Timi: am an undergraduate in the Dept. of Botany, Faculty of science Olabisi Onabanjo University. Am in 400level and working on my final year project and seminars as well as my final exams.

Me: So how do fund all of these? I mean clothes, food and stationery…

Timi: Oh my pocket money and gifts from friends

Me: For how long have you done this?

Timi: Since 200level, that is sometimes in 2004

Me: So how large is your pocket money?

Timi: (smiles)…N3, 000

Me: Ah?

Timi: Yeah my parents aint millonaires and they in fact had to increase it (pocket money) to that amount when they got wind of my vision.
Though it was not easy at first mummy complained bitterly but became supportive along the line

Me: What do your parents do?

Timi: My father, retired from the civil service a couple of years back…

Me: And now lives on pension?

Timi:…no, not exactly, he has a small building materials concern and mummy is a small scale poultry and fish farmer.

Me: So how do you live on N3,000 monthly?
NOTE: N3,000 is approximately $24

Timi: I spend all the money less my tithe on the children.
I live close to school so I trek to class daily, I share food stuffs with my roommate and I keep a low profile and am not extremely fashion conscious so I don’t really spend money on clothes and other fashion trappings.
I spend my pocket money and gifts from my few friends who know am doing this to get food stuffs(tubers of yam, garri-local grain, beans, rice), stationeries ( exercise books, pencils and biros) and clothes for the children though most times I get old clothes from people…

Me: So what does your typical day look like?

Timi: I attend classes between 8:00am and 1:00pm daily, rest between 1:00pm and 3:00pm or work on school assignments within that time frame then at about 4:00pm I go to the camp and spend time with the children till say 7:00pm.

Me: You see the kids daily?

Timi: Yeah…everyday.
I really want them to feel loved and cared for, so I hang out with them helping the with home work, teach them to do their laundry, cook their meals with them and a few other things…you know korede everything their parents would have done for them were they alive

Me: Timi what gives you the push?

Timi: (Smiles) I just cant stand seeing children suffer especially when it can be helped.
So am helping those I can and hope to do more in the future… I will also suggest other people do stuffs like this for kids.

Me: So after school what next?

Timi: I have volunteered to work with a catholic mission working to improve the living condition of children in a particular village on the outskirts of Ijebu-ode in Ogun state

Me: What’s the pay like?

Timi: I volunteered so I don’t expect any pay but will accept anything offered by the mission to cover basic costs like transport, accommodation…

Me: Do you plan having a facility of your own…?

Timi: Later! Not now… I don’t have the means to support such, besides I will like to learn all I can about social services like this, settle down and raise a family before commitiing TOTALLY to the cause so for now its’ going to be just what I do.

Me: Have you been on any Show…TV, radio, campus…to show the world what you are doing?

Timi: That is not the purpose. It is all about making the children happy and not about…. (rave reviews)…though I had to be part of Cornerstone’s programme earlier this year but it had never been for the show. It is all about… (service).

Me: Timi, you are doing this generation proud and I will spread the news of your work and service to humanity.

Timi: Thank you korede. Hope to see more of you

Me: Thank you for your time.

With meagre resources Timi has catered for these children for the past two years. She has proved to us all that one can find fulfillment in SERVICE.
In my opinion she should be encouraged, she can be reached on her mobile phone: +234 805 228 8018.

N.B I regret all errors in earlier post.