A non-profit organisation, Concert for Change Foundation, has set a N500 million target for this year’s Green Worship benefit concert. The event aims to support vulnerable children and charities catering for children living with disabilities across Nigeria. The foundation announced the target at a press conference in Lagos ahead of Green Worship 9.0, scheduled for Saturday, October 10, at the MUSON Centre, Onikan.
The N500 million target is more than double the N210 million the foundation says it has raised and disbursed since its inception in 2006 as Worship for Change. During this period, the foundation has supported 49 charities and reached more than 8,000 children. This year, six charities will benefit from the concert, with their needs ranging from specialised education and rehabilitation to prosthetic limbs, transportation, and infrastructure.
The beneficiaries of this year’s concert are OAKonsult Disabilities Outreach (Ogbomosho), Lokola School for the Deaf and Special Needs, Excellent Child Support Initiative (Ikorodu), Festus Fajemilo Foundation (Abule Egba), AIM Special Children Centre (Kaduna), and Irede Foundation (Lagos). These organisations provide essential services to children with disabilities, and the concert aims to make a significant impact on their work.
Charities that have received support from the concert in the past have reported that it has made a real difference to their work. Crystal Chigbu, Executive Director of Irede Foundation, said earlier support from the concert helped the foundation provide a prosthetic limb to a 17-year-old who lost a limb in an accident. This support enabled the child to return to living her life to the fullest.
The concert, which features artistes such as Nathaniel Bassey, Bob Fitts, Ada Ehi, and Kaestrings, aims to raise funds through contributions from individuals, families, businesses, churches, and organisations. The organisers are not seeking a single large donation but rather collective efforts to support the cause. A member of the planning committee, Kunle Popoola, urged people to partner with the foundation, saying donations would help differently abled, indigent, and orphaned children.
The impact of the concert extends beyond the event itself, with fundraising continuing through the foundation’s 21 Days of Giving campaign, which starts on October 11. The foundation verifies beneficiaries, tracks how funds are used, and reports publicly, ensuring transparency and accountability. Founder and Managing Trustee, Wale Adenuga, said the stories from the beneficiary organisations are as important as the music.
The Concert for Change Foundation has been making a significant impact in the lives of children with disabilities and orphans in Nigeria. With a goal of N500 million, the foundation hopes to continue its work and make a lasting difference in the lives of those who need it most. The Green Worship benefit concert is a platform for charities to mobilise resources for their work, and the foundation is open to helping other charities that may not have been selected as beneficiaries this year.
Key points
- The Concert for Change Foundation has set a N500 million target for this year’s Green Worship benefit concert to support vulnerable children and charities in Nigeria.
- The foundation has supported 49 charities and reached more than 8,000 children since its inception in 2006.
- The concert features artistes such as Nathaniel Bassey, Bob Fitts, Ada Ehi, and Kaestrings, and aims to raise funds through collective efforts from individuals and organisations.
