Ilaje is located within Lagos, Africa's second largest city, which is located on Nigeria's southern coast. Lagos holds 16.5 million people, and is home to some of the worst slums in the world. The scale of overcrowding in Ilaje is mind boggling: up to 30 people live in some single room shacks where people are required to sleep in shifts. More than 250,000 people are packed into a small area. Aside from a few, private schools just outside Ilaje, no school is accessible to the poorest children. Half-dressed children literally roam the streets during the day, working as peddlers to create at least a small income. The ocean bay floods the community at most high tides, leaving residual water lying around homes and feeding a malaria epidemic. HIV is prevalent in the area. There is no access to clean water. Many girls, desperate even for funds to attend school, are involved in various forms of prostitution, resulting in a score of unwanted children born to young vulnerable girls.

The University of Wisconsin chapter of PSH hosted a talk in November 2010 that featured Mr. George Snyman, founder of Hands at Work in Africa. Hands at Work provides food security, education, and basic health services to orphans and vulnerable children in the Ilaje slum. The organization presented an opportunity for PSH to partner with Ilaje slum by sponsoring orphans and vulnerable children in the community. This partnership will allow Hands at Work care for orphans in the community. PSH has committed to raise support and find sponsors for children so that Hands at Work can accomplish its mission of providing basic resources for the orphans and vulnerable children in the community.

Ilaje Development Plan

Poverty Stops Here is partnering with Hands at Work (HaW), who has identified 154 orphans and vulnerable children in Ilaje that are in need of food, basic health services, and education. A local volunteer organization (Eagle Foundation) has sprung up in the past year to aid the community, however they cannot provide for everyone and they desperately need our help. PSH has committed to providing food, basic health, and education for 50 children at a cost of 15 dollars per month. We are hoping to expand and cover every one of the 154 children by the end of the year.

The only way we can live up to that commitment is if people like you join us in the fight to end extreme poverty. We are asking for you to sponsor a child for a period of time. Please consider joining our partnership.