By Esther Onyegbula

Chairman of Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation, IIF, Pastor Itua Ighodalo, has revealed that the maiden cycle of Project 40 at 40 in 2020, recorded nine new births, including a set of triplets.
Ighodalo made this known while announcing the third cycle of In Vitro Fertilization, IVF, grants in a press conference held on Wednesday, at the Elizabeth R office in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Sharing the foundation’s success stories, Ighodalo said ‘’We are glad to announce that for the maiden cycle in 2020, we had nine new births, including a set of triplets. For the year 2021, We have a baby already, nine pregnancies, while four are still undergoing treatment’’.
It will be recalled that Project 40at40 was born upon the demise of the Late Mrs Ibidunni Olajumoke Ituah-Ighodalo whose birthday wish was to give 40 couples, 40 IVF grants on her 40th birthday.
Founded in 2016, the foundation provides a platform to support waiting couples, by easing the financial burden that comes with pursuing fertility treatments that could give them a chance at fulfilling their dreams of parenthood.
Ighodalo explained that “the foundation grant was set up to ensure that those dreams become a reality through giving couples-in-waiting, the chance to become parents by assisted reproduction–In-Vitro Fertilization, IVF, and other fertility treatments. The project, in its third year, customarily commences on Ibidunni’s posthumous birthday anniversary – the 19th of July 2022.
Unveiling the foundation’s new initiatives ‘Ibidunni Life Store’ and ‘Ibidunni Ighodalo Entrepreneurial Network’, the Executive Secretary of the foundation, Grace Ogunniyi noted that Entrepreneurial Network is a mentoring and digital learning platform for the young to inspire, engage and equip aspiring entrepreneurs on self-leadership, entrepreneurship, and the benefits of creating wealth the right way.
Speaking on the (IVF) grants registration, Ogunniyi confirmed that the portal would be open on July 19.
However, she made a clarion call for support, ‘’We are hoping to have more babies from the 2021 set, and for this new cycle, we’ll like people to also partner with us financially and we are grateful to those who have supported us so far’’ she concluded.
This initiative is a posthumous realisation of the founder’s wish with her husband, Ituah Ighodalo championing the cause to ensure that his late wife’s dream is fulfilled.