Sir: The wife of the governor of Katsina State and founder, Centre for the Advancement of Mothers and Children (CEAMOC) in Katsina State, Hadiza Aminu Bello Masari can indeed be described as a mother with a heart of gold given her uncommon philanthropic gestures and her genuine concern for the plight of mothers and children in her native home of Katsina state.
A mother could be described as a protector, disciplinarian and the first friend and companion of the child. She is a selfless, loving human who must sacrifice her all so that her child could survive even under the worst of conditions. A mother works hard to make sure her child is kept away from harm’s way and is adequately equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to make it a whole, competent and capable human being that can survive on its own. She often showers unconditional love on the child just as she doesn’t spare the cane in bringing up the child. Mrs. Hadiza fits all the above-mentioned attributes.
Since the inauguration of her pet project nearly three years ago, she has embarked on the execution of many laudable projects and programs in the state particularly in the communities of Bakori, Danja Fantua, Faskari, Kafur, Katsina, Matazu, Musawa, Malumfashi and Sabuwa LGAs of Funtua Senatorial Zone of the state providing Community health services, sanitation, skills acquisition, advocacy and sensitization, education as well as empowerment.
The major objectives of the Centre include: To contribute on improving access to qualitative education of young girls and boys (more emphasis is given to the girl-child education); Engage women and young people both married and unmarried on developing the spirit of entrepreneurship skills and training (Skills acquisitions/Income generation activities); Engage women in agribusiness across the entire value chain; Create awareness/enlightenment campaign on dangers of drug abuse and contribute towards reducing the issues of drug abuse and trafficking among young people; Improve quality health care services at low cost to the community people through creating awareness, enlightenment campaign and capacity building to the service providers.
Others include: Educate and create awareness as well as engage the community people on the importance of environmental sanitation and good hygiene; Support, initiate, develop, implement programs that will promote and improve the general well-being and development of women and children; Improve knowledge, practice and install positive behavior change issues on Reproductive health (HIV/Aids, STIs, gander base violence etc) and reducing maternal and infant mortality rate as well as any other related health issues and to Liaise and corporate with other national, international organizations, Individuals and agencies in order to achieve the organizational goals and objectives.
The CEAMOC’s activities are conducted through grass-roots participation and always utilizes participatory and social marketing approach. CEAMOC is using the existing governmental structures such as community health centres and auxiliary health and social workers who serve the public/community people. The Centre is also conscious of the religious and cultural sensitivity of target communities. Moreover, CEAMOC has efficient and effective Management Information System and Monitoring and Evaluation System (M&E). The Centre is therefore working towards improving the lot of women and children addressing issues and policies through a myriad of programmes such as the implementation of inclusive and gender-sensitive policies that will uplift the standard of their lives especially for those at the gross-root level.
The Centre enjoys enormous support and goodwill from individuals, public institutions and development partners in achieving its stated objectives. Thus far, the organization has successfully carried out the following interventions: Distributed 500 Cooking Stoves and 500 solar-powered Lanterns; Sensitized 5000 women on antenatal care, child spacing methods and child immunization against polio as well as Nutrition for infants and pregnant women; Provided health care support to victims of sickle cell anemia ;Supported 550 women with micro-credit for small scale businesses; Organized enlightenment campaign on HIV/AIDS and other Reproductive health issues such as STIs to 450 women, among others.
Other areas of intervention include Campaign on tree planting and drug abuse in secondary schools, with more than 30 schools benefitting from the programe; trained and equipped 100 traditional birth attendants; Trained and empowered 260 women on soap making, petroleum jelly, shoe and bags making; Secured the release of 30 inmates at Funtua Central Prisons in Katsina State, after paying a total of N1.5m as fine and organized workshop on drug abuse with the theme “Community Sensitization Campaign Against Drug Abuse which made over one hundred drug addicts to repent and submit themselves for rehabilitation.
All these, she was able to do without support from the state government. As a great mobilizer of human and material resources, Mrs. Masari leveraged on her vast network of friends, associates and well-meaning indigenes of the state and other kind-hearted Nigerians to raise funds for the activities of the centre.
- Ibrahim Mohammed, writes from Funtua, Katsina State.
