A pro-autistic organization, Ferdinand Effah Music Heritage Foundation (FEMHF) is poised to increase more awareness and better understanding of autism in Nigeria.
The foundation, which has become a voice for autistic people and other special needs communities in Nigeria and Africa at large, through its founder and member of Trustees, Stanley Effah revealed this during a solidarity visit to the family of Idowu God’sfavour Taiwo.
Effah said, “We want families with autistic children to know that there is an organization raising a voice on their behalf. We as well want them to know that there are countless opportunities they can benefit from to cushion some of the medical costs for their autistic children.
“One of such opportunities is the recently signed National Health Insurance Authority Act 2022 which makes health insurance mandatory, with benefits and packages affordable to families that hitherto could not afford outrageous medical bills associated with medical treatments which hopefully may give room (in the future) to proper diagnoses and clinical management of autism patients”.
Presenting a N100,000 token to the family of Taiwo to assist them in cushioning the effect of their autistic child, Stanley said the time for autistic people and other special needs to come together has come.
He said FEMHF would continually help educate, support, and provide strategic information that would better help the Autism and special needs community.
He said the vision of the foundation is to identify and collaborate with individuals, and organizations that put the welfare of autistic community on the front burner.
Effah thanked the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for inviting the foundation’s band to perform in their 2022-year Special National Convention, which speaks volume on the prospect of inclusiveness, irrespective of status.
He said, “With the signed NHIA act, the hitherto out of pocket payment and huge financial medical bills borne by families of autistic children and people with special needs are most likely no more going to be an issue. With this new act, there is going to be a real financial access to quality healthcare and supports for all Nigerians, regardless of class or condition”.
The high point of the visit was the recognition of Idowu and her family as the autism role-model of the foundation, an autistic child and family whose dream towers higher than her limitations.
The foundation, in its drive to identity and support families with autistic children is currently embarking on a project which tends to encourage autistic children to pursue and realize their potentials, their conditions notwithstanding.
FEMHF is a non-profit charity organization established and named after an autistic child – Ferdinand Effah who found music as his healing hand of time.
The foundation develops and supports people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) into self-relevance, and self-rediscovery through engagements with music as a focal therapy.
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