At Ese Tonia Foundation, we believe no child should start a new school year without hope, and no caregiver should carry that burden alone. This September, our Back to School 2026 initiative brought that belief to life in two unforgettable phases, made possible because generous partners chose to walk with us.
Phase One: A Day for Our Sickle Cell Warriors
On September 3rd, we partnered with Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria to celebrate about fifty children living with sickle cell disease, our sickle cell warriors. Each child went home with school bags, books, mathematical sets, socks, and pens to start the term ready. Their caregivers, who give so much of themselves daily, received bags of rice, beans, tomato paste, and seasoning, gifts they received with visible joy and gratitude.
But the day wasn’t only about supplies. There was a bouncy castle, mascots, and games that had the children laughing freely, if only for a few hours, away from the weight of their diagnosis. None of this would have been possible without at least five sponsoring organisations who believed in the vision and showed up for these children.
Phase Two: Widows, Children, and a Beautiful Partnership
On September 11th, we gathered again, this time at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Gowon Estate, Egbeda, for phase two. This event centred on widows and their children, a slight expansion of our usual scope of sickle cell children, orphans, and widows. But we understood the stress widows carry raising children alone, so when BuyBetter approached us with an idea, we said yes.
The partnership worked simply and beautifully. While we focused on providing back to school essentials and fun for the children, BuyBetter’s team sat with the widows, spoke with them, and gifted them skincare kits, gently reminding them that even in the weight of widowhood, taking care of themselves still matters. It was a small gesture with a big message: you are seen, and you deserve care too.
The children played, received their school essentials, and were looked after while their mothers had a moment that was entirely their own. We closed the day the way we always do, with a shared feast and pictures that captured the joy in every face.
Why Partnership Matters
Both phases remind us of something simple but powerful: the more partners we have, the more lives we can touch. Alone, our reach has limits. Together with organisations like Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria and BuyBetter, we widened our circle of care to widows, children, and sickle cell survivors alike.
If your organisation shares our heart for widows, orphans, and sickle cell warriors, we’d love to partner with you too. Every partnership plants a seed of hope, and every seed grows into a life changed.