ABOUT US

We are Transforming Lives Through Therapeutic Play

Orchids is a student-led nonprofit organization founded at the University College Hospital (UCH), Nigeria, with a mission to transform the lives of paediatric patients through the power of therapeutic play. We believe every child, no matter their circumstances, deserves joy, laughter, and hope.

Student-Led

Nigeria

Therapeutic Play

Orchids team members wearing purple and yellow branded t-shirts

Meet Our Team

Bringing joy and hope to children in need

Our Mission

To share smiles amidst suffering by engaging paediatric patients in creative and pleasurable activities. We achieve this by organizing ward visits, distributing activity kits, and collaborating with hospitals and communities to create therapeutic environments that inspire joy and healing.

Our Vision

To transform Paediatric healthcare experiences across Africa by bringing joy and safe play to hospitalized children. By 2035, we aim to impact the lives of 1 million paediatric patients, fostering resilience and hope through innovative programs and partnerships.

OUR HISTORY

Orchids volunteers engaging with young patients in hospital ward, doing creative activities

Orchids was founded in March 2022 by Etore Efiom-Ekaha, a compassionate medical student inspired by her encounter with an orphaned child in the pediatric ward of University College Hospital, Ibadan. A simple coloring book brought unexpected comfort and joy to the young patient, sparking a mission to bring light and hope to children in hospital care.

What started as one act of kindness has grown into a vibrant volunteer-driven initiative. By December 2022, Etore and her friends began engaging young patients with creative activities that ease pain, foster resilience, and brighten their hospital experience.

In 2023, Orchids was officially incorporated under Section 26 of the Companies Allied Matters Act (CAMA). Today, it continues to transform hospital stays into moments of connection, creativity, and healing fulfilling its mission to share smiles in spite of suffering.