Credit to Mrs Helen Oshikoya
I nominate Helen Oshikoya for this award on account of her genuine and unwavering passion in the field of Mental Heathcare in Nigeria.
l have found Helen’s efforts highly beneficial to improving the psychological wellbeing of the average Nigerian.
Helen has contributed effectively to raising the awareness about the importance of early intervention through her school health programmes and school intervention services, her speeches to graduating teachers, discussions on the radio and television about the benefits of realizing early enough , the challenges of special needs disabilities and helping to progress those children; thereby giving that child a better chance of having as near better quality of life and giving hope for a brighter future to thousands of children and their parents.
Helen has undertaken the following activities School Health Screening , Educational Assessments, Training in Inclusive Education, Development Surveillance and Early Intervention Services , significance of these activities to the overall goal of making a real difference to the lives of children with special educational needs.
The long term impact of this is that special needs is at the fore front of all educational concerns and discussions. Helen has certainly made sure of that and continues to do so as she never loses an opportunity to remind people of the importance of taking the needs of special needs children into consideration.
Helen lives and breathes her work- constantly wondering how best she can help those who seek her counsel and services; and in many cases, providing ‘pro bono’ services in a bid to help every child who needs it.
I should know as her enthusiasm inspires everyone fortunate enough to meet her. I had the pleasure of meeting Helen several years ago as she sought to advise me of the benefits of providing early intervention school health services in my school- school health services that went beyond the regular or standard vision, dental and hearing checks provided at the time- checks which she would also provide - but more importantly, provide screening services that would ‘flag ‘ parents and schools to potential challenges that could be addressed in its early stage.
l and countless other parents have never looked back since as we are all better informed/ more enlightened and grateful beneficiaries of her services.
Helen’s passion is such that despite having access a ‘world class’ team of specialists , she is physically present at every screening which takes her to schools across the length and breadth of the country. In her constant quest to provide countless children with the opportunity for a better life , . Helen is extremely hard working and constantly upgrades her already impressive legal and child psychology qualifications in her bid to ensure that she fails’ no child on account of her ‘failure’ to be qualified and being abreast of the latest developments in her field.
Numerous testimonials from schools , clients teachers and media houses . also attest to the difference Helen has made to the lives of their children and themselves- offering them a light at a time when there did not seem to be any.
Helen is a versatile , distinguished and effective leader in her field making her a most deserving nominee of this award.
Doreen Lambo
Bettys School
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