A Season of Giving: How the Elumelu Family Reached Vulnerable Children in Lagos, Delta and Edo

As part of its end-of-year humanitarian outreach, the family of Tony Elumelu, Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group, Heirs Holdings, and Transcorp, over the weekend delivered essential food supplies to orphanages and care homes, including Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice, Little Saints Orphanage in Surulere, SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria in Isolo, Living Fountain Orphanage, Adiel Children’s Home in Ilupeju, and Compassionate Orphanage in Egbeda, as well as beneficiary facilities and communities in Delta and Edo States. The initiative reaffirms the family’s commitment to supporting vulnerable children during the festive season and beyond. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports

For decades, Tony Elumelu, Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group, Heirs Holdings and Transcorp, has championed a philosophy that places people at the centre of prosperity. That commitment once again found expression as the Elumelu family embarked on an end-of-year humanitarian outreach, donating essential food items to orphanage and care homes catering to vulnerable children across Lagos and Delta States.

The 2025 outreach, flagged off in Lagos by his wife, Dr. Awele Elumelu, Chairperson of Avon Healthcare Limited, underscored a family tradition rooted in compassion, service and sustained community support, particularly for children living on the margins of society.

The donation drive commenced at the Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice in Masha, Surulere, Lagos, a specialised medical facility that provides care for children with severe and complex health conditions. During the visit, Dr. Elumelu toured the hospice, interacted with the children, sharing hugs and laughter, and engaged caregivers who work daily under intense pressure to provide medical and emotional support.

Speaking during the visit, Dr. Elumelu reaffirmed the family’s resolve to make a lasting impact on the lives of vulnerable children across the country.

The outreach covered multiple homes, with the distribution of essential food staples aimed at easing the burden on caregivers as they prepared for the new year. Items distributed included 1,730 bags of rice and 290 bags of beans.

Beneficiaries in Lagos included Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice, Little Saints Orphanage in Surulere, SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria in Isolo, Living Fountain Orphanage, Adiel Children’s Home in Ilupeju, and Compassionate Orphanage in Egbeda.

In Delta State, beneficiaries included facilities and communities in Onichukwu, the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) School of Nursing, and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Usele-Ukwu, among other communities.

Dr. Elumelu also noted that the outreach was extended to Delta State, where she and her husband hail from, as well as other parts of the country, to ensure broader impact.

“We can never do too much or do enough, but at least let us do what we can. The more you do, God will help you to do more,” she said.

During the presentation of items, Dr. Elumelu expressed gratitude to God for the year and commended caregivers for their resilience despite prevailing economic challenges.

“We thank God for this season, a season of joy and peace. We know it has not been easy. Things have been tough in 2025, but through your efforts and the support of others, you have been able to cope, and we thank God for you,” she said.

She described the outreach as the family’s modest contribution towards supporting orphaned and vulnerable children as Nigeria transitions into a new year filled with hope.

“As we go into a new year, we pray for more strength for you to continue the good work you are doing. We do our little bit, but we need more people to help. We pray for more helpers,” she added.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Founder of Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice, Mrs. Laja Adedoyin, expressed appreciation to the Elumelu family for their continued support, noting that earlier assistance had helped the hospice remain operational despite rising costs.

“God is taking care of these children, but He does so through the support we receive. You came in January, and what you have sown has helped us get to where we are today,” she said.

Adedoyin disclosed that donations received by the hospice are largely channelled into medical care, given the nature of the facility’s operations.

“We have in-house doctors and nurses. On a daily basis, there are medical issues that require hospital care or care within the home. There is hardly a day we don’t have to buy medicine,” she said.

Clarifying the unique role of Hearts of Gold, Adedoyin stressed that the facility is not an orphanage but a specialised medical hospice for children with complex health challenges.

“We are not an orphanage; we are a hospice, a home for children with special needs, especially medical needs. Some of my children have Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, myocephalus and other congenital abnormalities. Many of them live with multiple disabilities,” she explained.

She added that the children under her care are often those society struggles to accept. “These are the children people look at and want to look away from, but they are human beings and they exist. I have heard people say such children don’t exist, but they do and they are alive,” she said.

Grateful Hearts

The beneficiaries collectively expressed deep gratitude to the Elumelu family for the timely intervention, describing the donation as a significant relief amid rising costs and increasing care demands. Representatives of the homes noted that the support would go a long way in sustaining daily operations, easing pressure on caregivers, and ensuring that vulnerable children continue to receive proper nutrition and care as they transition into the new year with renewed hope.

As the year draws to a close, the Elumelu family’s outreach stands as a reminder that beyond corporate success and public influence, consistent acts of compassion remain a powerful force in sustaining hope and dignity for Nigeria’s most vulnerable children.