FELICIA MARTINS

A HEART FOR HUMANITY
By Rolland Nwanua

With her chosen career she will arouse compassion in anyone who comes across her and, will keep you wondering why on earth she chose or even copes with taking care of the mentally challenged people.

The first time I saw Felicia I was filled with awe, wondering why she chose to do what she is doing. But then, her explanation of the constant revelation she got, with a direction to go and take care of the destitute further strengthened my belief that destiny will assert itself even when you try to run away from it.

She is married with five children and hails from Ikwuano North Local Government Area in Abia State, Nigeria. From 1997 she had nurtured the desire to take care of insane people. She was, then, a 300level student of Law in the Lagos State University (LASU). In 1999 she established a home for the insane which she called: The Society for the Safety of the Insane and Destitute (SOSAID).

She said, “I intended to practice Law after graduation to help the less privileged in the society but not knowing God was directing my steps to the mentally challenged which I initially refused to take up until I failed all my courses that semester”. She intended to study Law to help the less privileged, all the same, she still helps the less privileged, though without Law.

Before building a home for them she would cook and take food to the insane on the street and bath the ones that are not violent. Now that she has a home for them the care is greater. "It will interest you that l dine with them in the same plate, because I am passionate in making sure that they have the sense of personal belonging that is needed to bring them back to their senses,"

In the year 2000, by the assistance of a compassionate Nigerian, she was able to get a wood shelter where she accommodated the inmates taken from the streets. The attention they could not get from their own family, they got it all from Felicia. With the assistance of some people who volunteer to work with Felicia martins, the inmates were fed, bathed and have their wounds treated. Many have regained sanity and volunteer to help rehabilitate others. In some cases, love is all that a mentally ill person needs to live a normal life again.

She failed all her courses in a semester and couldn’t continue with her study. Though it was painful seeing her dream of becoming a lawyer come to an end – at least for now – she said she has no regret because she is working for humanity.

The home has about 180 inmates including children. With her success in rehabilitating an elderly man who had been mad for 30 years, she said, “when an inmate is cured of insanity and remembers who he or she is, where he hails from and what he was doing previously, we go on a fact finding journey to actually determine if what he or she said is correct.” Some families are unwilling to welcome back a rehabilitated person, fearing that such person might still have traces of insanity. In such case she allows the rehabilitated person to remain with her so as not to face a situation that will trigger the crisis while living with a reluctant family.

Her family rejected her, believing that she was insane herself; her husband threw her out for eight months, her son slapped her; eventually, they agreed with her mission. Presently, SOSAID has branches in different states within the country.

If you ask me, I think this is the dept of love for humanity and one of the most essential contributions to society.

References: THE SUN.Tuesday,June 30, 2009
THE GUARDIAN Saturday, November 14, 2009