Eleven-year-old, Akinkotu Esther, in a heart-wrenching interview narrated the downward spiral of her life journey following the death of her father and deranged mental health of her mother.
Aside from being one of the millions of out-of-school children in Nigeria, Esther’s life has become a mirage of her expectation as she had to battle with tedious life-threatening issues while still at her formative years.
Esther is seeking the support of the members of the public to resume her education and help her family back to her feet.
Esther was forced to drop out of Maryland primary school three years ago, due to financial, emotional and mental challenges rocking her family.
Her father died when her mother was pregnant of her and she struggled for survival as she lives with her mother and brother, Damilola, who has Down Syndrome.
“I had to stop going to school when I was eight years old because there was no money to pay for some expenses, I usually treck from the house to my school.
“Also, people used to laugh at me because I usually support my brother on the way to school because he has Down Syndrome and he could barely do anything on his own.”
Not ready to give up, Esther tried several means to return to school but all her efforts ended in vain as she had to deal with her mother’s mental health challenge.
Esther’s mother who is usually seen talking to herself was the reason Esther and her family was recently evicted from their residence and currently stay in a make-shift apartment in Ojota axis.
Another reason for being sent out packing of their residence was because of the inability to keep up with house rent, electricity and other utility bills.
Esther is a hard working girl who used little amount gathered from assisting a food seller in her community around Ojota to start a pure water business but couldn’t continue as her mother’s mental illness took all her savings from her piggy box.
As the breadwinner of the family, Esther has to work as much as she can to feed and clothes herself, mother and elder brother.
“I was assisting a woman at her shop within the area and the money I saved from it is what I used to start a pure water business.
“I was hoping that I could save some money and be able to go back to school but my mother is always taking my money whenever I save it and this is because she has mental problem,” she narrated.
With Esther unable to continue with the sale of pure water, the little girl remains helpless.
Right now, Esther desires to go back to school, she’s very intelligent, smart and committed even in her business before it folded up.
Esther hopes she can return to school when activities return, as schools have been closed because of the pandemic.
She is appealing to the public to urgently come to her aid and assist in raising funds to take care of her mother and brother’s ailment.
All support to Esther can be sent to her cousin – Account Name – Bodunrin Anuoluwapo Grace, Account No – 0592655843 GTBank