The Christmas season came alive at Jesus Kids Home (JKS), Abuja, as Keren’s Safe Haven Foundation paid a goodwill visit, bringing gifts, food items, and moments of joy to children living with special needs.
Jesus Kids Home provides shelter and care for children with diverse disabilities—many of whom were abandoned by their parents because of their conditions. Others are orphans, while some were brought to the home by relatives who could no longer cope with the demands of care, including a widowed father who sought help after the death of his wife.
The outreach was organised by Keren’s Safe Haven Foundation, a child protection and advocacy organisation founded in memory of Keren Happuch Aondoddoo Akpagher, a 14-year-old girl who died on June 22, 2021, following an alleged rape while she was a boarding student at Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja.
Speaking during the visit, the founder of the foundation and Keren’s mother, Mrs Vivien Vihimga Akpagher, said the initiative reflected the true spirit of Christmas—love, compassion, and solidarity with the vulnerable.
“We are here to share love with these special children and to appreciate the caregivers who devote their lives to caring for them, often under very challenging conditions,” she said.
Mrs Akpagher explained that the foundation’s mission extends beyond seasonal charity, focusing on child protection, empowerment, and advocacy.
“Our work is about equipping children with the knowledge and confidence to speak out when they are threatened or abused, and about consistently engaging government to create safe spaces for children and other vulnerable persons,” she noted.
She added that Keren’s gentle and caring nature continues to inspire the foundation’s work. “Keren would never want another child to go through what she experienced. Her compassion is the driving force behind everything we do,” she said.
Also speaking, media personality and human rights advocate, Lemmy Ughegbe, praised the management and caregivers of Jesus Kids Home for their selfless service, describing their commitment as remarkable.
He called on well-meaning Nigerians, corporate organisations, and institutions to support the home to ensure its sustainability and the continued wellbeing of the children.
Ughegbe further disclosed that Keren’s Safe Haven Foundation would keep mobilising support for Jesus Kids Home to help improve care, protection, and opportunities for the children.
On the Justice4Keren campaign, he reaffirmed his resolve to pursue accountability, despite what he described as delays and silence from relevant authorities.
“Justice for Keren is not only about accountability; it is about sending a strong message that crimes against children will never be tolerated,” he said.
The visit ended with the presentation of gifts, shared laughter, and words of encouragement to the children and staff, reinforcing the foundation’s enduring commitment to child safety, dignity, and hope—values deeply tied to the spirit of Christmas.
Keren’s Safe Haven Foundation Lights Up Christmas at Jesus Kids Home
