I never imagined I would be writing something like this.

My mum has always been one of the hardest-working people I know. She has spent most of her life running her business, not because it made her rich, but because it was an honest way to provide for our family and take care of the people who depended on her. She has always believed that if she worked hard enough, she would be able to overcome any challenge.

Today, she is facing the biggest challenge of her life, and for the first time, we are asking for help publicly.

Several years ago, the shops where she operated her business were demolished. In what felt like a moment, years of hard work, investment, and stability were gone. She had two choices: give up on everything she had built or find a way to start again.

She chose to start again.

The only way she could do that was by taking loans to secure new shops and rebuild her business. At the time, it felt like the only option. Closing the business would have meant losing her only source of income and everything she had worked for over the years.

Unfortunately, those loans came with very high interest rates.

She believed that once the business picked up again, she would be able to repay them. Instead, the repayments became heavier every month. The interest kept growing, and before long, she found herself borrowing again just to keep up with existing obligations.

Some of the money also came from private investors with even higher interest rates. What was meant to be a temporary solution slowly became a cycle that was almost impossible to escape.

My mum did not borrow money to live a luxurious life. She borrowed because she was trying to save her business after losing everything she had built.

Even through all of this, she never stopped working. She continued opening her shop every day, believing that if she kept going, things would eventually get better.

Then the economy became increasingly difficult.

Like many businesses across Nigeria, sales began to decline. The cost of running the business increased, while customers had less to spend. She kept pushing through because she believed things would improve.

At the beginning of this year, another major challenge came.

Road construction leading to the market where her business is located began, making it very difficult for customers to access the area. Business slowed down drastically. Many regular customers stopped coming, not because they wanted to, but because getting to the market became difficult.

For months now, the business has struggled to generate enough income to meet its daily needs, let alone repay loans that continue to accumulate interest.

Today, my mum is carrying debts of more than ₦200 million.

Writing that number is painful.

Watching someone who has worked honestly all her life carry this burden has been even more painful.

The pressure from creditors is constant. The interest continues to grow. Every day feels like a race to keep up with obligations that have become impossible to manage alone.

What has broken my heart the most is that this has affected far more than my mum's business.

It has affected her health, her peace of mind, and the person she used to be.

The strong, hopeful, and hardworking woman I have always known has slowly lost her spark. The constant pressure of the debt, the calls from creditors, the fear of losing everything she has worked for, and the feeling that she has failed have taken an unimaginable toll on her. She hardly smiles the way she used to. The joy and confidence that defined her for so many years have been replaced with worry, fear, and exhaustion.

There have been moments when she has told us that she doesn't see a way out anymore. She has spoken about ending her life because she feels trapped by a burden she can no longer carry. Those are words no child is ever prepared to hear from their mother.

More than the debt itself, I am afraid of losing my mum.

That fear is why I have put aside every feeling of pride or embarrassment to share our story publicly. I am not asking for help because my mum is unwilling to work. I am asking because I want to give her hope again. I want her to know that she is not alone, that her life is worth far more than the debts she owes, and that there are still people who believe she deserves another chance.

This is not easy for our family. Asking for help is something we never imagined we would have to do. But we have reached a point where we cannot do this on our own anymore.

We are asking for your support to help my mum reduce this overwhelming debt and give her the chance to rebuild her business without the constant pressure of high-interest repayments.

Every donation, no matter the amount, will make a difference. Whether it is ₦1,000, ₦5,000, ₦10,000, or more, every contribution brings us one step closer to helping her breathe again.

If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this fundraiser with your friends, family, colleagues, church members, or anyone who may be willing to help. Sometimes one share is all it takes for the right person to see our story.

My mum has spent her life working hard. She is not asking anyone to build her life for her. She is simply asking for a chance to recover from a situation that became far bigger than she could have imagined.

Every contribution, every prayer, and every share is more than financial support to our family. It is a reminder to my mum that she is not alone, that her life still has value, and that there is hope beyond this difficult season.

We are praying that, with your help, she can not only rebuild her business but also rediscover the joy, peace, and strength that this hardship has taken from her.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for taking the time to read our story.

Thank you for every donation.

Thank you for every prayer.

Thank you for every share.

May God richly bless you for standing with us.