Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw and Project Alert, a non-governmental organisation have both been accused by the family of Michael Alvarez, a two-year-old child diagnosed with “Ulcerated Infantile Haemangioma” of misinformation over funds raised for his treatment.
The family in a statement said both Kate and Project Alert were involved in a
“deliberate campaign of calumny” over funds raised for the treatment of the disorder claiming that the NGO was “playing Lord over the family all because they had helped raise funds for Michael’s treatment.”The family of Michael which particularly described the actions of the NGO as “malicious and dubious” in the statement said; “They, however, forgot to understand the full legal implications of soliciting for funds for the care of a minor.
“It is, therefore, the desire of the family to work with any other nongovernmental organization with a similar objective in a view to use the public funds already raised to take care of Baby Michael as that is the primary reason for the funds raised,” the statement read in part.
Continuing, the statement reads thus; “It must be said that the family and Project Alert enjoyed a cordial working relationship in admitting Baby Michael to Lagos University Teaching Hospital until the medical staff of LUTH embarked on industrial action sometime in June 2016. “Consequently, Baby Michael was moved, along with his grandmother, to Project Alert’s shelter at 21 Akinsanya Street, off Isheri Road, Berger, Lagos.
“In November of 2016, the family began to ask if any arrangements were being made to fly the baby out for medical treatment as promised, particularly as Baby Michael was not showing any visible improvement.”
Michael’s family then noted that it was at that point that they made efforts to contact Project Alert asking how much had been raised for the boy which they did and according to the family Project Alert said they raised about N6 million, a disclosure which led to a dispute between the NGO and the family.
The disagreement over the sum raised by Kate Henshaw and her friends towards the cause of Michael later forced the actress to return the money to donors.
The actress has asked other willing donors to stop paying into the account opened for the victim after disclosing that the boy’s family requested that she stopped rendering help to them following a disagreement over funds raised for his treatment.
According to reports, Kate took interest in the case when her attention was drawn to Michael’s cause in March 2016 when she was tagged on Twitter with a picture showing the boys mother using him to beg for alms in the Onikan area of Lagos State.
Kate on her part said she regretted getting involved in the cause as she has been receiving death threats.
“The baby is now in the care of the family and the government,” Kate said.
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