Helen Ogbu Fosters 30 Children, Advocates for Support for Carers

Helen Ogbu, a Galway City councillor and Labour Party candidate, has fostered 30 children in Ireland, drawing on her upbringing in Lagos, Nigeria, where her parents regularly took in children from struggling families. She moved to Ireland 21 years ago after her politician husband was assassinated in Nigeria, fearing for her safety and that of her daughter, ChiChi.

Ogbu began fostering when ChiChi was seven, always involving her daughter in the decision-making. She has fostered children of diverse backgrounds and ages, from under two to adulthood, including white Irish, coloured Irish, Traveller, and Ukrainian children, and even entire families. She prioritizes supporting their cultural identities, consulting Irish friends for advice on food and traditions, and ensuring children celebrate their own culture at Christmas.

Fostering has presented challenges, such as caring for a Ukrainian child traumatized by war sounds and another with significant psychological needs due to insufficient information. Despite difficulties, Ogbu finds fostering deeply rewarding, calling herself a «granny» to her extended foster family. She acknowledges the emotional difficulty when children leave but maintains relationships with those who wish to, with some calling her «mum.» Ogbu encourages others to foster, emphasizing the mutual positive impact, but stresses the need for State support for foster carers. She recently ran in the Galway West byelection, finishing third.