September 8, 2025
The bus was already full, so full that some desperate passengers squeezed into the boot, clutching each other tightly as the driver shut it closed. They weren’t traveling for pleasure nor for business. They were heading to Sokoto City with a singular purpose: to seek answers and hope for their children with special needs. At the center of this unlikely journey was one woman, a mother from a remote community who had been listening to Candlelight Foundation’s radio broadcast about children with special needs. She had tried calling in during the live session but couldn’t get through. Still, she refused to give up; long after the program ended, she kept dialing until she finally reached the station’s general manager, who shared the venue and time with her. She refused to be left out. Her persistence became the spark that lit a movement determined to give her community a chance at dignity.
The Candlelight Foundation for Children with Special Needs scheduled a two-day program in Sokoto State under the theme “Community Mobilization Against the Stigmatization of Children with Special Needs.” The goal was clear: to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and provide relief for families with children living with autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and related conditions. But this journey didn’t begin with her.
The first day centered on radio and television outreach.
Through a live broadcast in Hausa, stigma and myths around children with special needs were addressed. The program included space for listeners to call in with questions. The phone lines buzzed with activity as parents, caregivers, and community members tried to connect. This was when our determined mother from a remote community first heard about Candlelight Foundation, a spark that set her story, and many others, in motion.
Radio jingles and fliers had already prepared the ground, but this interactive session gave families across Sokoto their first real opportunity to voice concerns and seek answers. It was the beginning of a shift from silence to open dialogue.
The second day brought people together physically. The hall was filled to capacity, with school heads, religious leaders, parents, caregivers, and community members in attendance. Also present were key stakeholders, including the Special Adviser to the Governor on NGO Affairs, lecturers from the previous day’s radio program, and the Deputy Chief Medical Director of Usman Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, a consultant neurologist who delivered the keynote address.
And then came the woman with the busload of families. With her meager savings, she had hired one vehicle to carry as many as possible from her impoverished community. Dozens squeezed in, some even riding in the boot of the bus, while others were left behind with heavy hearts. Still, those who made it brought raw testimonies, painful questions, and a deep hunger for solutions.
The sessions tackled awareness, stigma reduction, and inclusion. Families shared their experiences, leaders pledged to do more, and data was collected on children with special needs.
A Lasting Impact
By the end of the program, By the end of that Saturday, 113 participants had gathered, listened, and shared. More importantly, they left knowing they were not alone. The program achieved what it set out to do: to raise awareness against the stigmatization of children with special needs, to open the doors for interventions, and to collect data that would guide future support.
And the message was clear: stigmatization must end, and inclusion must begin. This was the first initiative of its kind in Sokoto, and Candlelight Foundation’s presence sparked not just awareness but a hunger for continued action.
Your support can change lives. Together, we can continue to fight stigma, raise awareness, and provide relief for children with special needs across Nigeria.
Every contribution, whether your time, skills, or resources, helps us light the way for more children and families.
