By Milcah Tanimu

The United for Kids Foundation celebrated its remarkable 21st Anniversary in style with a lavish gala event held at the prestigious Historic Oakland Manor in Maryland, USA.

This special celebration served a dual purpose: firstly, to raise funds for their forthcoming “Back to School” initiative scheduled for October 2023, and secondly, to honor more than two decades of dedicated efforts in improving the lives of vulnerable children and families throughout Nigeria.

The gala also marked a pivotal moment for the foundation as it introduced the UKF Club of Ambassadors, a dynamic group of young Nigerians in the diaspora committed to guiding the organization to even greater heights.

Leading up to the event, a host of Nigerian celebrities, including Dare Art Alade, Bisola Aiyeola, Bimbo Ademoye, and Chioma Ikokwu, came forward to convey their congratulations and encourage greater support for the foundation’s mission of “Healing Nigeria and the world, One Child, One Heart, and One Smile at a Time.”

The United for Kids Foundation officially took shape in 2002 when a group of compassionate individuals, mostly employees of Andersen/KPMG, established and registered an incorporated trustees’ entity. Since then, they have tirelessly collaborated to secure sponsorships and utilize the funds raised for a range of impactful programs. These initiatives have included monthly visits to orphanages and hospitals, the establishment of libraries in primary schools, and the provision of scholarships at various levels of education.

Among these initiatives, the Back-to-School program has been particularly transformative. It involves the distribution of school bags and essential supplies to thousands of students in public primary schools and orphanages across Lagos State and other regions of Nigeria. The Back-to-School drive has positively impacted the lives of over 250,000 beneficiaries in 22 communities spanning 15 Nigerian states and the Federal Capital Territory.