Dennis Akpan (Founder)
Dennis Akpan was born - October 29, 1973, in
Ibesikpo in Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State in the Eastern part of Nigeria.
He is the second of five children. Although raised as a Christian, Dennis was curious about the more traditional Nigerian faiths. His family belonged to the Ibibio tribe.
In 1980, Dennis traveled to Lagos to meet with his parent. He worked briefly with Summer Splash Nigeria Limited and Cleanway Nigeria Limited.
While parenting two wonderful Children, ages five and nine, Winifred and Dennis Jr., Dennis Akpan Snr. is doing (part time) his program at the Open University.
In Dennis’ own words:
“My passion for the Homeless and Handicapped Children started way back in 2000.The inspiration come from a point of observation of Handicapped people and Children roaming the streets of Lagos begging for alms. Most of them at the end of the day retired to uncompleted buildings to pass the night. In addition, some of them hawking and coughing, without getting proper care, not water, not food, not another soul to care about their existance.
There and then, I started Feeding them once in every two days on my own, giving out my old clothes.
I was so, touched by such inhuman treatment of another because of their inability to defend themselves or provide proper accommodation for their personal care, or that they did not even have a source of livelihood was for me traumatic. This began my decision to get the NGO (NATURAL TOUCH) started with great determination to provide food and shelter for the handicapped innocent children of Calabar to ensure a brighter future for them and a security of life.
Upon our inception, we had limited our intention to mostly the young ones and average aged. Although we could not provide accommodation for them, our intention was to provide at the very least the basic needs, which is food for them at least once a day. My plan now is to relocate most of the Children from here Lagos to Calabar
It is our aim to increase the feeding arrangement to twice a day and build a home for them. It is our aim to accommodate at least 2000-5000 handicapped children of differs ages in the home with respect to some animals in need as well.
With the help and support from other Organizations/Individuals that are touched just as we are our intention is to establish a school or a handicraft centre for them to study and become independent of their own to ensure a hopeful future.
Suffice to say here that most of them roam the street with torn cloths and look unkempt. We also provide clothing where necessary and affordable to them.
Based on our inability to sustain the financial burden, we are looking forward to Groups or Individuals with similar passion to join this journey in making a difference in the lives of the Children of Calabar.
The long term vision of Natural Touch is to design and build a home in Calabar to accomodate the handicapped, homeless, children and to recruit personal to teach, train and aid in whatever way we can to care for these children.
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