The Engraced Ones Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative has advised parents of children with special needs to acquire knowledge and skill to cater for them at all times.

Mrs Biboara Yinkere, the Convener of the religious group, made the call in an interview in Abuja on Sunday.

She said “parents of children with special needs are the first caregivers and advocates. Every parents should brace up for the task of caring for their children with special needs.

“They need to learn and equip themselves with the right knowledge. When we started, we were just praying, but along the line, we discovered that we need to pray an informed prayer.

“So, we need to learn about the condition of the children, study it and learn ways to help them;  parents should understanding that they are the first to render help,” Yinkere said.

She added that the group was involved in prayers for children with autism, cerebral palsy, hearing impairment and other forms of disability via meetings on social media and in Churches.

“We advocate in places of worship, schools, to the government and anywhere that advocacy needs to be made.

“We are also into education; we have an educational centre called The School of Grace Learning and Vocational Centre where we have some children, particularly the indigent ones,” she said.

The convener further said that in 2022, the group would start to showcase what children with special needs could do to contribute to development of their communities.

She also said that in 2022, the group would try to discover more children with special needs and invest in them in ventures that would help the children to discover their talents and put them on the global stage.

“By God’s grace, we would do more advocacy in 2022. We would take our advocacy to more states in the federation and also see to the implementation of the Disability Act,” she said.

Yinkele added that the group held a thanksgiving in NNPC Quarters, Garki, Area 11, Abuja, “in appreciation to God for a successful year filled with evidence of His faithfulness to all members of the group.”