In a world where kindness and selflessness are often in short supply, Miss Ikenwa Charity Ogochukwu, popularly known as “Rity”, stands out as a beacon of hope and inspiration. As a journalist and ace media blogger, Rity’s meager resources would have dictated a more modest approach to life, but not for this extraordinary woman.
For the past nine years, Rity has been dedicating her time, resources, and energy to bringing joy, hope, and help to financially disadvantaged children in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Despite limited financial means, Rity has consistently shown up for the children, sacrificing her own comfort and convenience to put smiles on their faces. Her labour of love, known as “Rity and Friends”, is a yearly event that features soft scholarships for quality education, financial support for parents, entertainment, and talent shows for kids, among others.
The event has become a highly anticipated and cherished occasion for the children and their families, who look forward to it as a time of joy, laughter, and celebration.
This year’s event, which was held at the Wumba District of the Apo, Lokogoma axis of the FCT, was a resounding success, with over 500 children in attendance. The event featured a range of activities, including quiz, presentations, and talent shows, which showcased the incredible talents and abilities of the children.
For Rity, the joy and fulfillment she derives from seeing the children happy and fulfilled is what keeps her going. “It’s been interesting, fascinating for me, though, because a lot of people thinks aunty Rity is a rich woman, you know? But I’m not, just that I do it because it gives me joy,” she said. “It’s not convenient, but I still do it because the joy in the faces of those children is my gain.
“I find fulfilment doing this along with my friends who over the years shared in my vision and see this project as theirs as well. God bless them immensely, Amen”.
Rity’s selflessness and dedication to the children have not gone unnoticed. The children, who affectionately call her “Aunty Rity”, adore her and look up to her as a role model. Nine-year-old Genevieve Eneji, who attended the event, expressed her profound joy and gratitude to “Aunty Rity” for bringing so much happiness and joy into her life. “I had so much fun! I wish Aunty Rity will come more often,” she said.
As Rity and Friends continues to touch lives and bring hope to the less privileged, it is clear that Rity’s labor of love is a shining example of what it means to live a life of purpose, kindness, and compassion, despite limited resources. Her story is a testament to the fact that one person can make a difference, and that with determination, selflessness, and a willingness to sacrifice, even the most modest of means can be transformed into a force for good.