The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Foundation

  • Foundation’s honour for Lalong

    Foundation’s honour for Lalong

    Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong has  bagged this year’s Kpakpando Foundation Award for Disabled Persons Inclusive Governance.

    The award was presented to the governor at the 12thAnniversary Celebration of the Kpakpando Foundation which held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. .

    The founder and chairman of the foundation, Sen. Osita Izunaso, said the award was in recognition of the programmes initiated by the governor and most importantly, the  establishment and success story of the Disability Rights Commission which began operation in 2005 when he was Speaker  of the state House of Assembly.

    He also said the governor was also being acknowledged for his commitment to the provision of equal rights for persons with disabilities in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and other Declarations of the United Nations 10th Conference of State Parties (COSP) on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which held in New York from  June 12 to 16, 2017.

    Other awardees include the All Progressives Congress (APC) which  received award for being the first political party in Nigeria to have constitutionally provided for the “Inclusiveness of Persons with Disabilities in National Leadership and Political Participation” across all the states of the federation.

    In his acceptance speech, Governor Lalong  appreciated the chairman of Kpakpando Foundation and his team for  their educational and social welfare interventions in the last 12 years, which he noted have kept the faith with and built the lives of people living with disabilities in the Nigerian Project.

    He gave assurance to Plateau citizens and  Nigerians that the award will step up all other Inclusive governance measures that will empower people living with disabilities in all aspect of their lives, so that their hope in the people oriented government of the state can be sustained.

    The conference which was chaired by Ondo State Ondo Rotimi Akeredolu, had in attendance different groups of people living with disabilities. The APC National Chairman was represented by the chairman of the  Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Governors of Adamawa and Nasarawa states. Other dignitaries in attendance were the Minister for Labour, Senator Chris Ngige, Minister for Interior, Lt Gen Dambazzau, Minister for Science and Technology, Chief Ogbonnoya Onu and other senior government functionaries.

     

  • Dangote Foundation pledges $100m to fight malnutrition

    Dangote Foundation pledges $100m to fight malnutrition

    The Aliko Dangote Foundation has pledged US$100 million donation over five years to tackle malnutrition in the worst-affected parts of Nigeria.

    The Aliko Dangote Foundation is the philanthropic organisation of Aliko Dangote, founder and Executive Chairman of the Dangote Group, Africa’s largest homegrown conglomerate.

    The Global Nutrition Summit 207 held in Milan, Italy, made commitments to expand their nutrition programmes and the summit succeeded in galvanising US3.4 billion in pledges

    Malnutrition affects every country in the world in various forms. Africa, however, is hard hit and Nigeria is home to the highest number of malnourished children.

    Almost half of the one million children, who die before the age of five every year in Nigeria die of malnutrition as the underlying cause.

    Without the proper nutrients during the first 1,000 days of life starting from conception up to their second birthday, children are less likely to survive childhood diseases such as malaria and pneumonia, and are less likely to escape poverty as adults.

    They become physically and cognitively stunted, a fate that has befallen 11 million of Nigeria’s children under five.

    The Aliko Dangote Foundation’s Managing Director and CEO Zouera Youssoufou said: “Nigeria’s high malnutrition rate is undermining progress towards improving child health and survival and putting the brakes on economic development.  By investing in nutrition, we aim to directly improve the lives of Nigerian families and to empower our citizens to reach their full potential.”

    The Global Nutrition Report 2017, launched at the summit, showed that, in spite of progress, 155 million children globally are still stunted and the world is off track on meeting internationally agreed nutrition targets. Financing to tackle malnutrition has been alarmingly low. Donors spend about 0.5 percent of overseas aid on nutrition, and countries allocate between one and two percent of their health budgets to the issue.

    “The global malnutrition crisis endangers the physical and mental wellbeing of present and future generations” said Kofi Annan, speaking at the summit in his capacity as chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation.

    “Progress in tackling both undernutrition and obesity is possible with targeted commitments, like those made here today. We need further urgent investments so that people, communities and nations can reach their full potential.”

    Through his foundation, since 1993, Aliko Dangote has made significant social investments in health, education, economic empowerment and disaster relief. He is now becoming the strongest voice for nutritional leadership nationally and on the continent of Africa.

  • Foundation mentors artists on health

    Foundation mentors artists on health

    Art-based organisations have been asked to establish medical insurance scheme for artists.

    The need for the scheme and lifestyle and health management of artists came under the radar as the creative-driven non-profit organisation, Beyond Borders Artists Association of Nigeria (BBAAN) held a mentoring programme for artists in Lagos.

    At the one-day event, which had in attendance participants from across states, artists were advised to pay more attention to their health along with pursuing their passion and trade. The event, which was in collaboration with Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation (OYASAF), featured diverse sessions by experts on health management; legal issues, particularly (copyright); and branding/marketing, etc.

    Recounting the unfortunate loss of some brilliant minds in the art sector, the founder of OYASAF), Prince Yemisi Shyllon, warned that death is not by age, while urging Nigerian artists to plan their health care early. According to Shyllon, who hosted the artists at OYASAF conference hall, health is “one area that is often overlooked by all, especially artists, yet it holds an important place in the pursuit of one’s career and calling.

    He said: “Health management is very essential to the progress of every aspect of life. It is one issue artists need to get right. I have lost my dear friends, uncles and brilliant minds, such as Rasheed Gbadamosi, Sam Olagbaju, Ben Osagie, to the cruel hands of death. Artists need to take health seriously by constantly going for medical check-up, even as they pursue their career.”

    For Mr Gabriel Esiegbuya of AXA Mansard Health Limited, health management holds a non-debatable place of importance in the overall wellbeing of the artist, hence should be given utmost attention so as to avoid complications. He enlightened participants on salient areas of health issues, encouraging art-based organisations to start a medical insurance scheme for artists. He said: “At AXA Mansard Health Limited, we believe that health is not just wealth but a wise decision.  To be a successful artist, you need to stay healthy. As an artist you spend hours drawing and painting in a still position. Soon there will be no flow of blood in your arms and legs; before long you may start experiencing the medical condition called “arthritis”, and wondering “How did this happen?”

    “Medically-speaking, there is no sickness that is hereditary. When it looks like heredity is when you make the same mistakes that your forefathers who had it made. Proper and conscious health care and management is meant to take care of such issues. And it is never too late to start.”

    A legal practitioner, who specialises in the corporate commercial law, Seun Aliu, spoke on the importance of an aspect of corporate commercial law – copyright. His presentation addressed the questions: “Why should you bother about copyright”; and “What happen when ones artwork is used for projects and commercial purposes without ones permission”.  She advised members to start the process of documenting and registering their artworks with the Nigeria copyright commission.

    According to BBAAN President, Clara Aden, the event, which was in its maiden edition, was aimed at empowering artists with the medical and legal knowledge to help in their artistic endeavour. “We aim to be the most active and effective group in Africa, adding value to our members and imparting lives in the society. This is the first of the series of the mentoring program that would cover many area of our artistic practices, ” she said

     

     

     

  • Indimi Foundation builds N600m housing estate for IDPs

    Relief is on the horizon for internally displaced persons in Maiduguri, Borno State as the Muhammadu Indimi Foundation, a humanitarian organisation founded by the Executive Chairman of Oriental Energy Resources Limited, Alhaji Muhammadu Indimi, is to build a N600 million solar-powered village of 100 units of 3-room houses for those displaced by Boko Haram in the state.

    The project is located in Bama, one of the worst-hit communities in Maiduguri.

    Other features include five blocks of classrooms, a fully-equipped health centre, an open-shed market,  to revive trading among the inhabitants, sport facilities for children and an incinerator.

    At the flag-off of construction works, Idimi said: “Following the trauma the people have been through, we will spare no resource to restore hope, healing, and lay a lasting foundation for growth. It is a well-known fact that our greatest strength as a country lies in our people and our resilience in the face of numerous day-to-day challenges. Through our modest activities and initiatives, we hope to contribute to the alleviation of poverty in our communities and unlock Northern Nigeria’s potential. The Muhammadu Indimi Village Bama is one of the many steps we have taken in contributing to building better lives for our people.”

    He also revealed that the foundation planned to replicate the 100-unit “Idimi Village” in Ngala Local Government Area, another community where thousands of families fled their homes and lost their means of livelihood.

    He thanked Governor Kashim Shettima for his support for the project, especially for donating the land in Bama and Ngala.

    Shettima praised the donor for his gesture, describing him as “an inspiring model of impeccable business integrity and unbounded humanitarian activities, who has continued to identify with our values, challenges and predicament.

    “We want to thank Alhaji  Indimi for his generosity of spirit and for fiercely identifying with his people. I wish to unequivocally commend this magnanimous undertaking and commitment of the Muhammadu Indimi Foundation. We deeply appreciate the humanitarian gesture of the chairman, in the resettlement of IDPs in Borno State. Alhaji  Indimi is a renowned and worthy son of Borno, indeed one of the greatest,” the governor said.

    The Muhammadu Indimi Village is due for completion in December. The focus of the Foundation is purposeful and proactive investments in education, food, shelter, crisis relief, rehabilitation and empowerment. Since inception, thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and families have benefitted from these initiatives.

  • Unity Bank partners Foundation

    Unity Bank has charged organisations and government agencies to pay greater attention to employee assistance programmes to minimise depression, anxiety and excessive stress in the workspace.

    This, the lender, said would impact positively on job performance, mental and physical health and emotional wellbeing of their workforce.

    Writing on its recent partnership of Chosen Vessels Empowerment Foundation (CVEF), the statement added that “the need to increase mental health awareness through a platform that is able to engender greater societal engagement and reach to relevant stakeholders in both public and private sectors informed the Bank’s commitment to promote seminar on Mental Health as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility”.

    Mental Health consultants at the seminar focused discussions on pre-emptive actions that can be adopted to stem the rising cases of mental disorder. One of the facilitators, Chief Consultant Psychiatrist with Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Lagos, Olufumilayo Akinola, identified the ‘main common mental disorders’ as ‘depression, anxiety and substance abuse’.

    “There are effective and affordable treatments for most emotional disorders. Appropriate treatment can help improve the quality of life for most people experiencing mental disorders and their families”, she advised.

    Gaining early improvement from mental ailment, according to Akinola, would depend on identifying the symptoms, reporting to appropriate healthcare provider and offering needed support to both patients and their families.

    Unity Bank will continue to promote greater health seeking behavior, greater inclusion as against social isolation and stigmatization of people experiencing mental disorders; stating that “if the society steps up empathy, counseling and other form of assistance to reach out to people suffering from depression, it would go a long way in minimizing cases of suicide that the country is witnessing”.

     

  • Dangote Foundation, GBCHealth to build coalition on health

    Dangote Foundation, GBCHealth to build coalition on health

    The Dangote Foundation and GBCHealth joined forces to forge a new model of partnership, the African Business Coalition on Health (GBCHealth) in Africa.

    Dangote Foundation Chairman Aliko Dangote shared plans to build an African Business Coalition on Health (ABCHealth) during the Bloomberg Global Business Forum. Dangote was co-host of the forum, which held alongside the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

    According to him, the African-led coalition of companies and philanthropists will seek to improve the health and wellbeing of Africans, both within the workplace and within the broader communities. The partnership, Dangote stated, will develop and deploy impactful health programmes in Africa, deepen knowledge, build evidence for future investment and strengthen co-ordination among African philanthropists, business leaders, companies and local business networks.

    The coalition is building on the leadership, reputation and convening power of the Aliko Dangote Foundation and the experience, reputation and global reach of GBCHealth. Critical issues that will be the focus of the partnership ranges from nutrition to malaria, with priorities identified and agreed by local leadership.

    Through his Foundation, Dangote has made an unprecedented grant and seed contribution to GBCHealth of $ 1.5 million over three years, as a call to action and a signal to the African business community of the importance of working together and investing in health.

    ”The time is ripe for the private sector to proactively demonstrate its value in partnering to lead a new era in development,” Dangote said, adding that the coalition could provide much needed guidance to ensure activities and investments are driving results in areas where the private sector can have real impact. Besides, it will focus on holistic and integrated solutions that cross borders. “We look forward to working with other business leaders as partners in development to drive this impact,” Dangote said.

    Co-chair of GBCHealth’s Board of Directors Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede said the coalition brings together two heavyweights in the health and development arena. ”Together we have an opportunity to demonstrate how investing in health and creating healthier populations can help business maximise shareholder value, accelerate economic growth and make entry into new markets more feasible,” he said. The coalition will have five primary objectives in its first three years.

    They include incubating partnerships on priority health programmes to enhance and accelerate results; working directly with companies to optimise workplace and community health programmes; advocating for policies and initiatives that drive system-level changes. It will also create a hub of data and insights specific to Africa and African business; and curate leadership events to convene and drive action around common health issues across sectors.

    The programme will kick-off in Nigeria and roll out in business regions in Africa and beyond over the next three years. The continent currently has 400 companies with revenue of more than $1 billion yearly, and these companies are growing faster, and are more profitable in general, than their global peers.

    Coupled with these fast-moving regional leaders, small and growing businesses create 80 per cent of the continent’s employment and are stoking the engines of growth. Against this backdrop, according to Dangote, there’s a new cadre of responsible business leaders and philanthropists, who understand the value and promise of sustainable large-scale investments in African countries, and are poised to make an even bigger impact on the continent’s people and economies.

    Dangote Foundation CEO Zouera Youssoufou said: “GBCHealth has a strong track record of bringing diverse groups together to improve the health wellbeing of communities. We look forward to collaborating to build an African business community united as a force for healthier and more inclusive development.”

  • Foundation enlightens children on cleanliness

    The founder of Prince Children Foundation, Segun Fadayiro, has stressed the need to inculcate in children the habit of cleanliness and proper integration into the society to save the environment and unite the nation.

    Fadayiro, during the Sallah edition of the foundation’s sanitation and empowerment programme in Lagos, said Nigerians needed to take an interest in the welfare of other children around them apart from their biological children and relatives to create harmony.

    Prince Children Foundation is an NGO that deals with the empowerment of children.

    He said the organisation, which began two years ago, is aimed at teaching children the virtues of cleanliness and proper ways of disposing refuse to address issues affecting the environment.

    Fadayiro said the foundation was concerned with the unity of the children, hence bringing them from various classes together to interact in training and social programmes aimed at removing class and ethnic differences.

    He solicited support for programmes that unite children of all classes and ethnic groups, to further strengthen the nation’s unity while tackling problems of environmental degradation and pollution.

    He said they usually went round neighbourhoods to attract children of all ages to be part of the organisation’s programmes.

    “We go round various neighbourhoods, play music to attract children to join us then we teach them practical cleanliness by making them clean their surroundings, teach them how to properly dispose refuse while we teach other skills not leaving out the social aspect, we teach them to dance.

    “We educate and entertain them and we want more people to join us and support us because we have funding constraints.

    “Everybody wants to take care of their own children and not others; people should give more to the welfare and happiness of other children.

    “None of these children can throw refuse into drains or on the road or anyhow because of this training” he said.

    He said no less than 250 children participated in the Sallah edition, adding that the foundation has empowered and brought happiness to thousands of children in Ojodu, Anthony Village and Egbeda, and was spreading its campaign to other communities in Lagos.

    “Soon, we will have a database of participating children so that we can follow up on their progress,” he said.

    Miss Adepeju Adebayo, one of the coordinators,  said children were admitted into the club from six months to 20 years of age, to begin impacting positive values of cleanliness, sharing joy and togetherness in them early.

    “We want children to learn equality and that is why we sweep the streets together and learn all our skills in unity not minding anybody’s social status,” she said.

    She said the foundation usually held programmes for children after festive periods, adding that the programme was holding a week after Sallah so more children could participate.

    “We are trying to empower them in different skills and today we are learning how to make menthelated spirits and cleansers,” Adebayo said.

    Miss Colabo Falebo, a nine-year-old member of the club, said she would use her new skill to help people in her neighbourhood.

    “We learnt how to make spirit and cleanser, we also learnt how to use mini first aid box.

    “Now I can help people who have small wounds and I will advise people around me to use cleanser after shaving,” she said.

    Also, Miss Joy Akinwunmi, a two-year-old member of the club,  explained what she was doing in her own way “they are teaching everybody and I am dancing”.

    Mrs. Esther Irabor, one of the skills instructors, said the ability of children should not be underestimated as she noted that they would use the lessons learnt to impact on the larger society.

    The children swept Oluwole Oladejo Street in Ojodu, after which they gathered round an instructor to mix re-agents for the skills they were being taught.

  • Foundation inducts members

    The Professional Excellence Foundation of Nigeria (PEFON), founded by former Commissioner for Insurance, Dr. Dipo Bailey, has inducted new members into its fold.

    At the ceremony in Lagos, Bailey said the foundation is committed to helping youths to be professionally qualified to increase their chance of getting a job.

    Bailey said: “We already have a committee in place to help the youth in that regard and we are planning to have a conference for professionals later in the year. The objectives of PEFON are to identify professionals at home and abroad who may wish to be part of the foundation and to recognise those among them who have excelled in their chosen professions.”

    According to him, the professionals have a lot to contribute to the growth and development of Nigeria.

    Some of the new inductees were: Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Mr. Ike Ugwu, chief executive officer  Pharmacare Support Group, a community of pharmacy and retail chain; Mr. Olasheni Ibiwoye, a senior partner with Messrs Bayo & Co, a law firm.

     

  • Foundation hosts carnival for humanity

    The annual Adire Street Culture Carnival will hold from December 25 to 27, in Lagos.

    According to the national co-ordinator of the carnival, Princess Oluwabukola Adubi Fasuyi, the event will hold at the National Arts Theatre, the Lagos home of arts and culture.

    She said Nigeria occupied a pride of place in fashion and textile industry in Africa.

    “As a country globally recognised for her rich culture and diverse tradition, Nigeria boasts of an incredible array of fashion choices and fabrics. Notable amongst these fabrics is the adire, which has found favour amongst people all over the continent of Africa and Europe, America, Canada and Asia.

    “The fashion industry has also continued to grow by the day, with more and more people coming into adire production, and bringing in various innovations. As a way of promoting this very thriving fashion and garment industry, which by the way will also be doubling as promotion for Nigeria’s culture and tradition, Lady of Africa Foundation, has embarked on a mission to take the highly appreciated fabric to an entirely different level through exhibitions and carnivals,” she added.

    Princess Fasuyi commended the role played by the National Council for Arts and Culture and the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, both government agencies that have been giving the Lady of Africa Foundation tremendous support since inception.

    She added that invitation was open to all to experience the beauty and richness of the African culture, which would be on display on these special days, including traditional cuisine, emu fun fun (African palm wine), eran igbe among other delicacies.

    “The foundation will also in the coming year, be taking the promotion to South Africa, Europe and America, to satisfy the craving of lovers of the adire fabric in those parts of the world. The Lady of Africa Foundation hopes to empower up to 50million Nigerian women and youth through its various activities. Already, lots of people in the country – privileged and the less-privileged have been empowered through direct and indirect job opportunities creation by the foundation through its various promotion and marketing of the fabric,” she said.

  • Foundation, Nobel carpets to hold empowerment programme

    Lucky Fibers Plc, makers of Nobel Carpets and Rugs, with Prime Women Builders Foundation of Nigeria (PWOBFON), is to organise a vocational training on ways to effectively run businesses.

    There will be trainings in event management, cake and pastries making, wire works, bead making, make-up and gele, tailoring, ICT and so on.

    The programme will also afford participants, who would want to be marketers and distributors of Nobel Carpets and Rugs’ products, to do so as there will be a session for the company to showcase its products and services, to enlighten participants on how to generate more income with Nobel Carpets soft covering solutions.

    According to the General Manager of Lucky Fiber Plc, Mr. Jitesh Pamnani, the company, being a brand that believes in the well-being of Nigerians, is co-hosting the initiative to provide valuable business information and support to alleviate poverty in the society.

    “This event is organised to equip participants with basic, yet necessary skills and relevant equipment to be self-reliant. It will provide the necessary support in becoming a business owner.

    “It is our intention to support everyone willing to do business with a minimum of N50,000, and co-opt them into our business as sales agent, to enhance their income.

    “This is an initiative which will provide valuable information and opportunities to create more sources of income and diversification of trade and work skills.”

    The empowerment will hold on August 19 at Epe Local Government Area. There will also be free health screening for participants.