By Dike Onwuamaeze
The Founding Pastor of Trinity House Church, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo has stated that the Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation (IFF) will require a maximum of N150 million to fulfill his late wife, Mrs. Ibidunni Ighodalo, last wish of helping 40 couples that could not have their own babies to have access to In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) medication.
Ighodalo made this statement at the weekend, during the launching of “Project 40at40,” in memory of his late wife, who was also the founder of the IIF.
The “Project 40at40” initiative, according to the foundation, is in accordance to late Ibidunni’s last wish before she passed away last month.
The IFF said: “Her desire was to celebrate her 40th birthday, which would have come up on July 19, 2020, by granting 40 couples in dire need of reproductive interventions a once in a life time opportunity to become parents. The board of the IIF is determined to ensure that her last wish is fulfilled.”
Ituah Ighodalo, who is also the Chairman of the IFF, said: “We understand the emotional, psychological and financial strain that comes with pursuing fertility treatment and having gone through that pain herself, Ibidunni in her life time made it her life’s work to help desiring but struggling parents. We are committed to Ibidunni’s vision to give joy and keep hope alive.”
He stated that intending beneficiaries would apply online at www.ibidunnifoundation.org and pledged a transparent application and selection process for the 40 beneficiaries, which informed the online application to avoid any discrimination.
The Chairman of the IIF said couples must be legally married to qualify with a visible means of income to ensure that they would be able to take care of the baby when it arrives. In addition, women above the age of 50 would not be eligible to apply.
He emphasised that the target are couples on the low income level that could not have been able to afford the IVF fertility treatment on their own.
He said he would be more involved with the administration of the foundation and appealed to public spirited individuals and organisations to come to the aid of the Foundation to make the dream come through.
He also assured that the IIF would ensure that granting access to stranded couples in terms of having babies would be sustained for many years to come.
