Group Fetes Special Needs Children, Parents in Ebonyi, Launches Educational Support Services
A non-governmental organisation, the Give Back the Smile Support Group (GBS) on Sunday December 28, 2025 hosted special needs children, their parents, caregivers and friends at the popular Amusement Park grounds, Abakaliki the Ebonyi State capital.
The event which marked the closure of the group’s advocacy activities for the year 2025 was planned to bring parents, caregivers and special needs children from around Ebonyi State together to enjoy the ambience of Christmas ahead of the New Year celebrations.
Speaking to journalists, the convener of the group, Mrs. Ogeri Idika stated that, “The party was organized basically to thank God Almighty for his protection through the year, it was to appreciate his love and guidance on us as parents of special needs children, and also to have fun and laugh and play with the children.”
The event which also featured the launch of the distribution of educational materials sponsored by the Sub-Saharan Africa Brain Health Initiative (SSABHI) in association with the Sensitise, Educate and Evaluate Dementia (SEED), an initiative of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Ebonyi State.
Presenting the educational materials, Dr. Laz Ude Eze, co-founder of SSABHI who was accompanied by internationally acknowledge investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo stated that the educational materials were being donated as part of SSABHI’s larger advocacy programmes to support the education of special needs children across Africa. Dr. Ude Eze thanked the organisers of the event for their thoughtfulness and dedication to giving children living with congenital conditions the best quality of life possible through advocating for their rights and ensuring that the society consciously integrate them.
The Give Back the Smile Support Group was established in 2025 and has since its inception been at the fore front of championing advocacy programmes aimed at creating awareness and on the plight of parents of children with special needs and the challenges faced by the children, especially in accessing specialised medical and educational services.
Mrs. Idika noted told journalists, that the event will now be held more frequently to encourage parents to showcase their children as integral part of the society who also have their own contribition to make in the overall growth and progress of the society. According to her, “special needs children are part of the society, they have their own talent and contribution to the society, they need to be given the opportunity to be productive part of the society, they need quality education and functional healthcare services, just like other people in our society.”
