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Tag: Foundation

  • Cocoa Foundation to train 70,000 farmers

    Cocoa Foundation to train 70,000 farmers

    World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to train 70, 000 cocoa farmers and 100 groups in 10 cocoa producing states. The states are Ondo, Cross River, Osun, Ekiti, Edo, Ogun, Abia, Oyo, Kogi and Akwa-Ibom. Socodevi Nigeria, a Canadian non-governmental organisation (NGO), is managing the programme for WCF.

    The Country Representative for WCF, Mr. Neil Abang, said the programme is geared towards increasing cocoa production from 450 kilogramme (kg) per hectare to about 800 kg per hectare. Addressing a train-the trainers farmers business school workshop in Akure, Ondo State, Abang said the training had become necessary because many farmers have limited access to information and education on improved farming techniques that could enhance their yield.

    Abang said for the nation to achieve its goal of food sufficiency, farmers must have access to quality inputs such as sowing seeds, herbicides and pesticides, or to critical information such as accurate weather forecasts that could help them improve the quality of their crops. Such inefficiencies, he said, increase transaction costs and slash potential profits for farmers. He said the farmers business school (FBS) is a channel for the dissemination of management knowledge among farmers.

    The success of the programme in improving farmers’ income through increased yield and savings on production costs has stimulated an upsurge of demand for more programmes in other communities.

    On the workshop, he said trainers are drawn from Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) offices across the country and department of cooperatives of states involved in the programme. At the end, he said 100 cocoa farmers’ groups would be banded into viable cooperatives, linking them with partners for sales of their products. This will lead to certifying the cooperatives.

    Cocoa farmers under this programme will be paid premium by chocolate firms of WCF. He said using the FBS model, 70, 000 cocoa farmers would be trained as entrepreneurs, thereby increasing their capacities to effectively manage their farms as businesses.

    The Ondo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo, commended Socodevi Nigeria for introducing the business school, adding that the initiative will help promote agricultural growth.

  • Foundation provides water for community

    Foundation provides water for community

    The days of Guinea worm and water-born diseases appear over in Ebonyi State. How? Organisations such as Carter Foundation are sinking boreholes across the state to keep people from sourcing unhealthy water from ponds and streams.

    Carter Foundation is one of the orgnisations leading the fight against Guinea worm and other diseases, simply by sinking boreholes in Ebonyi communities. Another is the Chinedu Ogah Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

    This has resulted in the reduction and even eradication of the disease, as the state has not witnessed fresh outbreak of the disease for years now. The eradication of the disease being a welcome development, yet still, there is a snag. Many communities in the state still do not have clean source of drinking water.

    To complement government’s effort in providing potable water for the people, the Chinedu Ogah Foundation has sunk two boreholes in Oriuzor and Nkomoro, two communities in Ezza North Local Government Area of the State.

    Speaking during the inauguration and handing over ceremony at Oriuzor, the founder of the foundation, Comrade Chinedu Ogah commended the people of the community for being law-abiding. He urged them to continue their support of policies and programmes of Governor Martin Elechi-led administration.

    Ogah, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Chiboy Group Limited, promised to assist eligible youths of the community get employment in the state civil service.

    He also advised members of the community to liaise with the local government chairman and the community leader in the area to estimate the cost of their electricity project and forward same to him for quick completion.The chairman of Oriuzor Ward, Hon Cyprian Abaji thanked the foundation for providing the borehole for the people which he said will alleviate the plight of the people.

    He said: “At the Nkumoro Market where Comrade Ogah also inaugurated another borehole, he urged the youth to be law-abiding, avoid thuggery and violence, especially during the forthcoming elections.He said: “Do not allow politicians to deceive you. If they give you guns and other weapons to fight for them, tell them to bring their sons and daughters to join you to carry the guns.”

    He also donated some amount of money to women and youths as part of his poverty alleviation programmes.The traditional ruler of the community, Ezeogo David Nworie expressed his gratitude to the foundation for carrying out the project for the community.

  • Foundation donates school to church

    Foundation donates school to church

    The Samuel Igbayilola Foundation, established by the late renowned banker and lawyer, Samuel Adegbite, has donated a newly built school to the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    The foundation handed over the school to the Bishop of Ibadan North Diocese of the church, Most Rev. Segun Okubadejo, in Ibadan last Monday.

    The family of the late Adegbite, who was a philanthropist, gathered at the premises of the 12-classroom school located at Orunsogo area of the city where they handed over to the church.

    His son and chairman of the foundation’s Board of Trustees, Wale, said the school was built in Adegbite’s memory and as a project to reflect and sustain the deceased’s core values.

    The school’s dedication was part of activities to mark the first memorial of Adegbite’s death.

    Dedicating the modern school, Bishop Okubadejo described Adegbite as a complete man who lived in Christ and worked hard to help the less privileges to enjoy physical, spiritual and mental well-being.

    He said: “We thank God that he died but lives on. When he was alive, he always identified with God. This is another project adding to what makes his memory alive every day. They just handed over a cottage hospital on Saturday.”

    He thereafter prayed for the school and the family.

    The M-shaped school has 14 classrooms for nursery and primary classes, reception, general office for non-academic staff, staff room, library, kitchen, staff lounge, sick bay and two activity rooms. It stands on a 1,800 square meters piece of land.

    Wale Adegbite disclosed that the foundation stone was laid six months ago. He pointed out that the school was donated to the church to enable it revive eroded values.

     

  • Foundation graduates 150 youths

    Foundation graduates 150 youths

    The lawmaker representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Victor Ogene has empowered 150 youths who graduated from the Fidelis Ogene Memorial Foundation.

    The member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency of Anambra State in the House of Representatives and Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Victor Ogene, has empowered 150 youths from his constituency as part of efforts to make them self-reliant.

    The youths graduated from the Skill Acquisition Programme of the Fidelis Ogene Memorial Foundation at Atani, Anambra State which was instituted in memory of Ogene’s father. The training programme was in conjunction with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

    At the event attended by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, as the Special Guest of Honour, all the graduates in the different fields which include Computer Application, Fashion and Designing, Electrical Installation, Barbing, Hairdressing, Catering and GSM repair, were given tools relevant to their trade.

    The items included 250 sewing machines, 100 grinding machines, 25 hair dryers, 25 gas cookers, 50 laptop computers, 15 wheelchairs, 20 electricity generating sets, clippers, 20 tool boxes containing components for GSM repair, 25 tool boxes for electrical installation, and additional 10 motorcycles, apart from 80 pieces he had donated earlier, and five block-moulding machines.

    Also, over 350 men, women and the physically-challenged, benefitted from the lawmaker’s generosity, as they went home with various items of empowerment.

    Many at the event praised Ogene’s achievements as the representative of the people. The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh and the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and members of his constituency, endorsed him for a second term.

    Ihedioha noted that Ogene has been a key figure in the House of Representatives since 2011, despite that he is both a first-timer and member of a minority party.

    The Deputy Speaker said this was possible due to Ogene’s commitment, dedication, loyalty and remarkable wisdom in discharging his duties as the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, adding that he is also a good team player.

    Chief Umeh also praised Ogene’s impressive achievements both as a legislator and an emerging leader in Anambra State. He urged Ogbaru people to continue to support him, declaring that his performance has made him the number one choice for the 2015 House of Representatives election in Ogbaru Federal Constituency.

    His emergence on the political turf took many by surprise, given his background as a journalist. But Ogene has shown remarkable presence in the National Assembly since 2011 when he won election to represent the people of Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

    Although a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), a minority political party, Ogene has not allowed that minority status to diminish his passion to always stand up in defence of the voiceless, or limit his efforts in contributing positively to the process of reshaping the society through people-oriented legislation.

    His position as the deputy spokesman of the House obviously makes him a key figure in the parliament, as it brings him into close contact with every segment of the House and its leaders as they strive to make laws for the good of the people and also engender quality representation of their different constituencies.

    Currently on his first tenure as a lawmaker, Ogene has shown remarkable legislative astuteness to the admiration of not only his colleagues, constituents or home state Anambra, but Nigerians in general.

    To his credit, Hon. Ogene has, in the past two years, solely sponsored and presented eight people-oriented motions at the floor of the House in line with his philosophy of being the “voice of the voiceless”. And in protecting the interest of his constituency, Anambra and Ndigbo in general, he has also co-sponsored several other motions.

    Motions he had personally sponsored are: “Urgent Need to Correct the Imbalance in the Nation’s Geo-Political Zones “, “Stop Hospitals from Demanding Police Report Before Treating Gunshot Wound Victims “, “Urgent Need for Government Intervention in Ogbaru Flood Disaster”, “Urgent Need for a Pedestrian Bridge at Uga Junction “, “Blatant Disregard of Government Directive on JAMB Cut-off Mark for Federal Universities : Need to Call Defaulting Universities to Order “, “Unmasking Unknown Gunmen and Bring them to Justice “, “Alleged N59 Trillion Shady Oil Deal Involving the Petroleum Minister, SPDC Limited and Others” and  “Urgent Need to Reverse the Discriminatory Government Policy on Admission in Nigeria Unity Schools.”

    One remarkable thing about Ogene’s motions is that they all received full endorsement of the House. This in itself, many believe, shows the wealth of wisdom and depth of logic embedded in the motions.

    For instance, after the motion on JAMB cut-off marks, the House, in its resolution “urged the Federal Ministry of Education to urgently call the defaulting federal institutions to order, so as not to deny innocent candidates who met the government approved cut-off points the opportunity to write post – UTME exams.”

    The House also resolved, after hearing Ogene’s motion on the discriminatory admission policy into Unity Schools, to “ Mandate the House Committee on Education to, within two weeks, invite both the Ministry of Education and the National Examinations Council, in order to review the policy in such a way that would guarantee fairness and accord the Nigerian educational system more credibility and general acceptance.”

    Ogene had, in that particular motion, drew the attention of the House to the fact that while Unity School candidates from Anambra State were expected to score 139 marks and above to secure admission, candidates from some Northern states were required to score less than 10 marks for the same admission.

    Aside the motions, Hon. Ogene has also presented three Bills which are currently being processed for first reading by the Rules and Business Committee of the House.

    The Bills include: “A Bill For An Act to Authorise the Provision of Free Pre / Post – Natal Health Services to Every Nigerian Woman Pregnant with Child In Government Hospitals”, “A Bill For An Act to Repeal the Traffic Warden Decree 1975 and to Provide For the Establishment of the Traffic Warden Service and for Other Matters Connected Therewith and also A Bill For An Act For the Protection of Widows from Exploitative, Barbaric and Dehumanising Cultural and Traditional Practices and Other Related Matters.

    One common feature of Ogene’s Bills and motions is the unmistaken interest of the common man, which they seek to protect and nurture using the instrumentality of legislation.

    These laudable legislative strides have continued to win accolades for Ogene from different quarters.

    After his motion on discriminatory cut-off marks for Unity Schools, several comments flooded his Facebook wall, the popular social media platform.

    For instance, Ashimole Agaptus wrote: “You are surely fighting a good fight. These discriminatory cut-off marks should stop. Every Nigerian pupil must be given equal opportunity based on merit. Your interview really exposed so much rot in the system that we didn’t even know existed. Well done”.

    Charles Okoh, a Lagos-based journalist commented thus: “This is the singular reason the nation is still in the dark. If from the very beginning we make our children to live with this mentality, what happens when they grow? Until merit is considered over and above all other considerations, this nation will remain on this roller coaster journey to nowhere.”

    For Chuka F. Okwuosah, in far away Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it’s just some words of prayer for Hon. Ogene as he wrote: “Keep up the good work Hon… The Lord (shall) give you more inspiration.”

     writes that the youths were given tools relevant to their trade.

  • Foundation’s free medicare, food for community

    Foundation’s free medicare, food for community

    A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Joseph Amuta Adeyi Foundation (JAAF),has provided free healthcare services to the residents of Jahi community populated by Gbagi and Gwari people. The

    community is one of the many slums within the heart of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It has over 400,000 people.

    However, in spite of being close to the seat of power, the community is an irony of what Abuja should be known for in terms of provision of basic amenities. The features of the settlement are such that give first-time visitors the impression of a people long abandoned to their fate.

    The community, which is sandwiched between highbrow Ministers’ Hill in Maitama and Gwarinpa can only be accessed through  a narrow and dusty road. To a first-time visitor to the community, the picture of Jahi is that of desolation. The forlorn atmosphere witnessed on getting to the community gradually transforms into a beehive of activities as one gets to the community. Within the community, people burble as they go about their business activities. Wares displayed in most of the shops are mostly food items, clothes, shoes, handbags, electronics and firewood.

    The settlement, like other slums in the FCT, is characterised by the multiple shanties and glowing waste water which is ever running even in the dry season.

    Cars are parked haphazardly. People, cars motorcycles and hand drawn water carts mingle freely. Ironically, the community is already being fenced-in by beautiful high-rise edifices owned by top government functionaries, politicians, businessmen and big time contractors who have secured land allocations in the area.

    A cursory look around the settlement reveals that only two blocks of classrooms, with one malfunctional borehole, are the only mark that signals government’s presence  in the community of over 400,000 inhabitants.

    However, given the numerous beautiful houses which have formed a shield for the slum, it becomes a paradox of existence that such life of squalor, complicated by long period of utter government neglect, goes on silently within the area without the FCT authorities siting any basic amenities.

    It was further learnt that a lot of pregnant women die in the process of delivery because the only health centre in the town lacks equipment and personnel to handle emergencies resulting from complications during labour. It was also revealed that maternal mortality is on the increase due to unprofessional and local methods employed by local midwives during labour.

    Investigations by Abuja Review also revealed that a lot of women have lost their lives while being conveyed to the hospital during emergency cases arising from prolonged labour.

    In addition, it was discovered that a good number of women prefer hiring the services of of the native midwives, to going to hospitals in the town due to the distance that they would trek before they get vehicles that would convey them to the town.

    The Chief  of Jahi community,  Salihu Adamu, told Abuja Review that lack of  motorable road and good means of transportation in the community contribute to the death of several women during childbirth. Adamu also blamed the several deaths on poverty, saying that most of the locals prefer to patronise local midwives because they cannot afford high medical fees which both private and government hospitals located in the city centre charge.

    Chief Adamu, who spoke when a medical mission organised by the Joseph Amuta Adeyi Foundation (JAAF), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), provided free healthcare services to the people of the community.

    He urged the FCT Administration to come to the people’s aid.

    “Health is life, that is the most important thing,” Adamu said, adding, “our women die because we don’t have  a health centre here in the community. This community has over 400,000 people. If government can provide one health centre, it will help us.”

    He called on the government to help sink functional boreholes in the community since the river which is their primary source of water is not only unhygienic but dries up during the dry season.

    The Chief  praised JAAF for the drugs and health services which it freely donated and provided  for the members of the community.

    One of the women in the community, who identified herself as Salmatu Halisu, recounted how she lost her baby during delivery, saying the hospitals are far from the community.

    On why women in the community do not patronise the hospitals in the town for them to be delivered of their babies, she said when a pregnant woman is in labour at night, there is little she could do than to call in the local midwives.

    Even though she argued that the native midwives are experts who have been assisting expectant mothers in the community for many years, she admitted that several lives, including those of babies and their mothers, have been lost in the process.

    The founder of JAAF, Albert Adeyi, told Abuja Review that the foundation decided to assist the community in their little way because of their pathetic condition.

    Adeyi, an engineer, said the medical mission was in the community to conduct medical examinations, treatments to those in need and to provide free drugs.

    He said the NGO also distributed free drugs and food items worth millions of Naira to the people. He said the gesture was meant to alleviate the health challenges confronting the people of Jahi.

    He stated that about 100 adults, including men and women,  were examined for high blood pressure and provided them with medications while over 500 children were de-wormed.

    He said a sub-group in the foundation, whose duty it is to go round Abuja and identify communities with such challenges, located Jahi community, hence they stepped in to lend a helping hand.

    Adeyi  expressed shock that the community, despite being so close to the seat of the Federal Government, has no single healthcare facility.

    He urged good-pirited Nigerians to locate such communities in their areas and extend health and other essential  services to them.

    He further explained that the mission of the foundation was to assist the less-privileged in areas of education, skill acquisition and health services.

    Adeyi stated that the gesture was part of the foundation’s contributions to the development of the society and humanity and not for any material or political consideration, adding “as an engineer, I am called to be a pastor and not a politician.”

    He said JAAF was established as a result of his desire to give back to the society, in fulfilment of a promise and commitment he made to God. He also said he was able to achieve the mission by setting aside a percentage of his income monthly.

  • Foundation, NIFOR introduce new palm oil technology to farmers

    The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has collaborated with the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) to introduce motorised oil palm harvesters to farmers in the Niger Delta region.

    Introducing the innovative harvester to farmers recently in NIFOR, Edo state, PIND’s Market Project Development Manager, Mr James Elekwachi, said the partnership was in line with the foundation’s aim of building broad stakeholder support for programs and activities that will contribute to poverty alleviation and the promotion of peace in the Niger Delta.

    He disclosed that PIND was also partnering with a German Marketing Company, STIHL, to bring the products to Nigeria.

    He said over the years, PIND had through research, discovered that there was need for market value change in the oil palm industry and that there also was the need to make the harvesting of oil palm easier for the farmers.

    Mr. Elekwachi said its partnership with NIFOR had brought about remarkable value change in oil palm industry, adding that it had come up with the motorized harvesters to make harvesting easier and also increase farmers’ production capacity.

    While remarking that the technology was relatively new in Nigeria, the PIND official urged farmers to key into it for long term benefits.

    Speaking in the same vein, the CEO, NIFOR, Dr Omarefe Asemota, who noted that climbers are fast becoming scarce in the oil palm sector, urged the farmers to take advantage of the technology.

    He said: “This partnership between NIFOR and PIND is bringing to demonstrate to stakeholders in the industry the use of the mechanical harvester. The mechanical harvester is an equipment that has been developed not to replace human beings but to make the job easier. Clearly, as has been shown today, you can see the demonstration at the background, with one worker and one machine the harvesting process is simplified. Not only is it simplified, it is also more efficient.”

    The NIFOR Executive officer added that with the motorized harvesters the issue of drudgery in harvesting will become a thing of the past, adding that farmers will have more efficient way of harvesting and more profits.

    In his presentation, the German marketer, Mr. Sebastian Lotzin, said the product had been tried and tested in Indonesia, where farmers have been benefiting from it immensely.

    He encouraged the farmers to embrace the technology, stressing that though the farmers may not be able to use the motorized harvester now, they would eventually catch up with it.

    Mr. Lotzin assured the farmers that his company would make effort to teach farmers how to use the equipment well, adding the equipment was very easy to maintain.

    Mr. Lotzin, who demonstrated how to use the motorized harvester, said once the farmers got used to it they will find it more easier to use.

    Some of the farmers said though they welcome the new idea, they had challenges on how to use it efficiently.

    One of the farmers, Mr. Andrew Esosa, said: “We like the new motorised harvester that has just been introduced to us. The only challenge for now is how to use it. You see what happened in the demonstration. Because we do not know how to handle the machine, we did not get the desired results. But I think by the time we are trained on how to use this machine we are going to benefit. You know these days it is hard to see climbers. But with this machine one man can do a lot.”

    However, some farmers at the event lamented their ‘marginalisation’ the Federal Government’s agric policy. They said farmers in the South-south do not benefit enough from programmes and activities of the Federal Government to support farmers.

    They appealed to PIND and NIFOR to help change the trend so they could grow the industry in the region.

  • Foundation empowers youths

    Addright Empowerment Foundation, a non-governmental organ-isation held its national empowerment summit tagged ‘A Better Nigeria without Oil and Gas’, in Lagos.

    The summit served as a wake-up call to the responsibility of the youth to rebuild the collapsing systems in Nigeria, as well as develop the economy in helping people living in rural areas.

    At the event, many speaker spoke on how to make life achievable, as well as different ways of monetising talents, gifts and ideas.

    The foundation is saddled with the objective of reducing increase of unemployment and promoting small businesses through entrepreneurship.

    The first programme was held at the National Development Youths Centre, Osun State on March 31, 2013.

    President of the foundation, Mr Ademola Oyetunji said, lot of sectors, asides oil and gas have been taken over by foreigners, leaving Nigerians with little or no sources of employment.

    “Major manufacturing companies in the country are owned by foreigners, while citizens are been slaves in their fatherland. Let us wake-up to our responsibility and rebuild the collapsing nation. The citizens are not enjoying public goods, all because of oil money,” he said.

    The president also added that the problems Nigeria is facing today is oil and gas because people have neglected other sectors and are also depending on foreign software.

    Mr Oyetunji lamented the decadence and non-participation of Nigerians in the manufacturing, agricultural, ICT sectors, which have not been well-managed, thus, the invitation of foreigners.

    Continued he said, “Most of the leading computer software used in our banks and industries are produced by China and India when we have IT graduates every year. We should go back to the drawing board and know where we made our name as the giant of Africa before the discovery of oil and gas.

    The Addright foundation was set-up for people who find it difficult to carry out responsibilities individually.

    At the summit, the Addright Cooperative Society was launched. It will be a source of credit society to cater for the need of those who want to produce Nigerian brands and yet, lack enough capital to start-up.

  • Foundation donates educational materials

    Nigerian Turkish International College (NTIC) Foundation has given education materials to over 6500 pupils of public schools.

    It gave out the materials in 20 different public schools in Kano, Kaduna, Ogun states and Abuja.

    Last Friday, it gave out 500 education materials, including exercise books, mathematical set, colouring material and eraser, among others to pupils of Local Government Primary School, Iseri Olofin, Ogun State.

    The pupils were full of joy as the Director of the foundation, Fetullah Celik and Ogun State Commissioner for Education Science and Technology, Mr Segun Odubela presented the materials to them.

    Celik said the Foundation’s gesture was aimed at improving education in Nigeria and helping the needy in all the ways it can.

    He said the foundation also plans to adopt the school and provide other things beyond the stationery.

    Appreciating the college on behalf of Governor Ibikule Amosun, Odubela thanked the foundation for partnering with the state government by being social responsibility.

    “This is not the first time that NTIC will be assisting our state. Some years back, you extended your kind gesture to some of us in the ministry of education to travel to Turkey where we saw your educational operations and of course we have also learnt a lot from that and it is part of what we are implementing in our state today.

    “The foundation also took us to Abuja to see the hospital they built there. We moved round and saw the development they are making in our health sector in the country.

    “Today, we are here to appreciate you because you are also donating some educational materials to our pupils”, the Commissioner said.

    Odubela, lawyer, noted that education is a big venture that requires a lot of investment. He said the government was spending a lot on its free education scheme.

    “Even at that, we cannot do it alone, this is why we are partnering with private entities particularly our private schools and that is why NITC stands out of those private schools in the state because they are doing great for Ogun State,” he said.

    He congratulated Oba Nurudeen Adekanbi, the Olofin of Isheri-Olofin that this was happening in his time.

    Oba Adekanbi on his part thanked the Commissioner and the foundation. He said the foundation has done a great job in the areas of education, infrastructure and health.

    “The foundation has given scholarships to students in Ogun State; they give us cow in the community during the in Eid-Il-Adha celebration,” he said.

    The monarch also used the opportunity to plead with the ministry to establish a public secondary school in the local government. He said that the one in existence in the 80s was relocated because of low enrolment.

    “Now we need the school. We have many private schools in this community but no government-owned secondary school. We want government to please develop this area; we need our education to be upgraded here,” Adekanbi said.

     

  • Foundation relieves the needy

    Foundation relieves the needy

    Every year, the needy, including children and youths, benefit from the benevolence of Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation.

    That was why thousands gathered at Irefi Civic Centre, Oraifite, Ekwusigo council Area of Anmabra State.

    The women were already seated at the venue of the event as early as 8 am, waiting for the distribution of gifts including cash, bags of rice and vehicles by the foundation as part of its annual Christmas and New Year bonanza to the women and other less-privileged persons in the society.

    The chairman of the occasion, Chief Azuka Okwuosa said this year’s gift distribution was unique in the sense that the beneficiaries cut across other neigbouring communities unlike the previous years when the foundation concentrated on Oraifite.

    He commended the founder of the Foundation, Sir Emeka Okwuosa for his love for the people of the community and entire thes society, adding that since the birth of the foundation, many people have benefited from it either by way of sponsorship or scholarship to indigent students.

    Chief Okwuosa further disclosed that the foundation has also been at the vanguard towards uniting all Oraifite sons and daughters in all works of life, noting that this year’s ceremony was to help the women to be able to take care of their families.

    He said that the Foundation as part of its mission statements had adopted a strong will to help the youths in the society in order to make them better people in the society, adding that the youths as the engine room of the society need to be supported.

    “The Foundation was conceived by my brother many years ago and it was initiated to address the problem of the society. We award scholarship to indigent students and brilliant ones because we encourage excellence and brilliance. The Foundation also believes in the saying that it is better to teach people how to fish instead of giving them fish. We are building a cortege industry in this community for the procession gari. This Foundation also has engaged in road construction across the community and today, we are giving out a brand new vehicle to the women corporative to help them transport their goods to the market”

    Earlier, Rev Canon Chamberlin Igwenazo prayed for Okwuosa family for rendering help to the society and less privilege which he said had been major interest the church had on wealthy people in the society to use their wealth to help others.

    Rev Igwenazo challenged other rich men in the society to emulate the Okwuosa family in helping the less privilege persons which he said would help to eliminate crime in the society by engaging the youths in meaningful business.

    The Chairman of Ekwusigo council area, Mr. John Elomba, represented by Obinna Nwachukwu commended the Emeka Okwuosa Foundation and the entire Okwuosa family for initiating the projects which is targeted at lifting the women and less privilege persons in the society.

    He described Okwuosa family as strong pillar in the entire Oraifite community that had rendered help to others without any feelings attached and said that the council shall continue to support any individual that has soft heart to help others especially during the yuletide seasons.

    In his address, the Coordinator of Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation, Dr. John Anene said Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation as a registered non-profit making and nongovernmental organization formed by Okwuosa to help render services to the society.

    He said that the Foundation last year distributed gift items worth millions of naira to married women from the community, adding that this year; the situation still remains the same in the sense that some other communities are beneficiaries of the Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation.

    “Last year, we were here and all married women from our community went home each with full bags of rice. It is still so this year. Thereafter, workers of the Foundation went to other communities and various public establishments in Oraifite, Ozubulu and Nnewi”

    “All Irefi married women will benefit from this year’s Christmas gift distribution. The idea is linked to the philosophy that if you feed a woman, you feed not only herself but entire household. With the mindset of the proprietor which is geared towards ameliorating the lots of the rural community, providing infrastructural development and general wellbeing of the people” he said.

    The President General of Oraifite Improvement Union, Dr. Jap Okolo said the aim of the Foundation to radiate joy in the minds of the less privilege in the society is commendable and enjoined other wealthy men in the community to emulate the Okwuosa family in rendering help to the less privilege.

    He said that for the community to grow, all hands must be on deck in the sense that everybody must get involved in the entire work of rebuilding the community and making it economically viable for the rural dwellers to make living.

  • Foundation’s tools for the needy

    Foundation’s tools for the needy

    The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Usman Tilli Abubakar has urged Muslims in the state to always live in peace with their neighbours and also form the habit of giving arms to the less privileged in the society as part of the Islamic injunction of Zakat.

    Abubakar said that Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam which is not compulsory except for the rich, adding that the well-to-do have a moral obligation to give out from the abundance of their blessings from Allah.

    Speaking in Umuahia during the first Zakat distribution ceremony by Zakat and Sadaqat foundation (ZSF), Abubakar who was the special guest of honour said that Zakat which means giving out is one of the foundations of Islam which must be practiced.

    Abubakar said that there is need for all Muslims to live in peace with their neighbours irrespective of wherever they found themselves, adding that the religion of Islam is founded on the basis of people helping each other and sharing the little they have among themselves and the needy in the society.

    The executive director of ZSF Imam Abdullahi Shuaib in his speech said that there are 42 beneficiaries of the foundations who will be given cash and four others who were given motor cycles and four women who were given sewing machines to help up lift their standard of living.

    Imam Shuaib said that they are in the state to identify with the less privileged in the society, “Who have suffered a lot despite the intervention of the state government, as government alone cannot handle the issue of helping or empowering such people on their own”.

    He said that giving out to the less privileged is part of the promise he made to them last year, adding that he believes that the gift they are going to get from his foundation will help them to live a dignified life and also to help them contribute to the economic development of their areas.

    The executive director of ZSF regretted that there are over 60% of people living below one dollar per day and that such people have been neglected by the people in authority, “So we have come to compliment where such people in authority have stopped”.

    Imam Shuaib said, “Our job is to compliment the efforts of the various governments, and we are urging all well to do people in the society to help by giving out from their abundance. This is because when the youths are empowered the country will be a better place and the destination point for investors”.

    He therefore advised the beneficiaries to make good use of the materials such as cash, motor cycles and sewing machines for their benefit and also to help themselves to make a better living for their family members and make themselves self reliant in the society.

    Earlier the chairman of the occasion Alhaji Suleiman Ukandu said that Zakat is part of Islam which signifies alms giving, stressing that it will also help to bring an unquantifiable blessings to the giver, as Allah always rewards givers and helpers of the less privileged.

    Ukandu used to opportunity to express his thanks to the government of Abia state for introducing the youth empowerment scheme through which many youths in the state have been given a new lease of life, adding that he hope that more Muslims in the state will also benefit.