GAMAID
- July 25, 2025
My name is Shedrack Okon Ekpenyong. I’m 18 years old and I live in Uyo. There was a stretch of time not too long ago when my life felt completely uncertain, and the truth was I had nowhere to call home. There was no hostel space available, no family I could lean on close by, and the little I had was stretched right to its limit. Every evening came with the same fear: that I’d end up spending the night on a pavement somewhere, or squeezed into a crowded public space just to get through till morning. The constant worry of not knowing where I’d sleep drained me completely. It was hard to think about anything beyond just getting through the day.
Things began to turn around when my aunty, Tina Eze, introduced me to GAMAID Foundation. From the very first phone call, I could tell they actually cared about how I was doing, not in a polite, distant way, but properly. Before long, GAMAID Foundation had sorted out a safe place for me to stay, with no rent, no hidden fees, nothing of the sort. Just shelter, given freely. Almost overnight, the anxiety that had been following me around lifted. I had a room of my own, a proper roof over my head, and finally a bit of quiet in my mind to start thinking about what came next.
It’s hard to put into words just how much that one act changed things for me. With somewhere safe to live, I started to feel like myself again. I could focus on my studies and on growing as a person, instead of waking up before dawn just trying to find somewhere to lay my head. The exhaustion that had been pulling me under began to ease, and in its place came a quiet sort of determination. I had room to dream again.
To everyone at GAMAID Foundation, thank you, truly. What you offered me wasn’t just four walls. You gave me back my hope, and you gave me a foundation steady enough to actually stand on. Thank you for opening your hearts and your home to me at the moment I needed it most. May God bless you richly for the compassion and care you’ve shown me