History of DBI
DBI Foundation is a God given vision birthed in 2004 to immortalize the late Mr David Bassey Ikpeme, a man who was completely given to humanitarian services and left a foot print in the sands of time. It was formally launched in 2007 to provide Social and Health care services to Orphans and Vulnerablechildren in the Niger Delta.
The Vision
The vision to start DBI Foundation came through Miss Koko Bassey Ikpeme, after a mind pressing and soul searching lecture on Visioning and Goal setting delivered on the 14th of February, 2004 by the Parish Pastor, Pastor Itua Ighodalo to the members of the Christian Leadership School set up by the RCCG Christ Church Parish, Gbagada Lagos.
The Journey
The journey to achieving our God given purpose began from that day and on May 4th, 2004, after a personal worship session in the morning. A clear directive came from God to start a foundation on my late father’s name for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, to care for them and send them to school, orphans I knew but vulnerable children I knew not, and God said you will know them soon.
The Starting Point
A month after the vision came, I got a job with IFESH a US Based organization carrying out HIV/AIDS programs. God gave that job to me to be a learning ground for me and to prepare me for greater things. Working with IFESH-NG gave me great experience; there, i came across the children whose parents died from HIV/AIDS and had no one to take care of them so I started from there.
That single act of obedience to God brought about the Birth of one of the most dynamic child centred organisation called the David Bassey Ikpeme (DBI) Foundation and Homes. My ever supportive Uncle Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, whose house I lived in at the time the vision came, believed so much in this vision and through prayers and encouragement, we were able to start something and the rest is history.
It's All About Purpose
It became very clear to us that working with Orphans and Vulnerable was God’s Purpose for our lives and as time went on, even though there was an initial fear of launching out, God provided the grace we needed. The most amazing of all things was the clear instruction to start the foundation on my late fathers name, But taking a walk down memory lane, reminded me about what my father meant to people he didn’t even know. We lived and grew up with over twenty people living in our family house, they shared our bedrooms, food, and every other thing we had, daddy didn’t treat us differently because we were his, ‘ours was a type of an orphanage without a name’.
My father didn’t institute a foundation, but Orphans, the destitute, relatives, friends, people who needed one form of support or the other, from far and near, found a place and had their needs met, he provided their basic needs especially in the area of education. Youth corpers posted to the Poultry farm to serve lived in the family house and found a place in the arms of a loving father who truly believed in building lives and reshaping destinies. The establishment of DBI Foundation reminded us about our very existence.
It came to our knowledge that the purpose and plan of God for our life is far greater than our personal fulfilment, our peace of mind, or even our happiness, family, choice of carrier and even our wildest dreams and ambitions. Understanding Gods Purpose for us made it possible to love and care for these poor innocent and vulnerable children that life have dealt a blow on and who had no power or strength to fight back, they included Children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, children with Cancer of the Blood (Leukaemia), motherless, abandoned and neglected babies. Monthly earnings went into the welfare of the children; we gave everything we had to put a smile on the faces of children who had been left to die.
It All Started Here
DBI Foundation started her pilot programs in the Rural and Urban areas of Rivers State by providing replacement feeding for children who had lost their mother to HIV/AIDS, Awarding scholarships to the children who were then out of school and children in orphanages through the DBI Education For Life Project (EFL), Provision of Food, Clothing’s and other materials to children in Orphanages and Foster homes, provision of temporary shelter to neglected children, when monthly salaries could no longer carry the huge responsibility, we started free lance catering services to raise more money, many times there were insufficient funds to see us through the day, yet what was needed always came in time .
Milestones
DBI now partner with Africare-ng a U.S based NGO to provide Care and Support services to community –based Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Isiokpo, Elele, Alimini, Rumuakhunde and Ubima communities of Ikwerre and Emohua LGA of Rivers State,
DBI Foundation also partners with Edut shely Nig Ltd based in Abuja, this organisation occasionally sends in funds for the children’s welfare and provides educational support with an annual funding package for four children.
DBI Foundation manages a monthly sub-grant from Africare –ng which enables us to carry-out the services in the OVC Program in the target communities. Thus for every community that we work in, we have taken an integrated development approach. We believe that we can continue to make a positive change and enhance the difference in the way people live in the Niger Delta Region and beyond.
To this day, DBI foundation has in her care 0ver 450 orphans, of which 70% are affected /infected with the HIV virus, 20% street kids and a huge 10% street-abandoned baby. Services includes Educational support, Health and Nutritional support, Economic strengthening for care givers, referrals/ escort services and Psychosocial support through which Community kids clubs are formed.
The kids club have so far produced the Niger Delta Children’s Choir, and the DBI Football Club made up of these young stars. The choir’s vision is to become the largest all children orchestra in the world, they carry a message of hope and they are the voice of the numerous voiceless suffering Children.