The Nation Newspaper

Tag: less-privileged

  • Nasfat celebrates Sallah with IDPs, less-privileged

    Nasfat celebrates Sallah with IDPs, less-privileged

    The Nasrul-Lahi-li-Faith Society (NASFAT) on Sallah day donated Over 1500 packs of food and drinks to the less privilege and displaced people at the Lagos state Rehabilitation Centre, in Owutu, Ikorodu.

    Its Vice President Muhammad Abdullah said their coming was majorly to touch lives and to show case to the world that there are other segments of the society who lack various amenities to live a blissful life.

    Abdullahi said: “We felt that by staying at our various homes merry- making with our friends, families and loved ones, we might not be touching lives as compared to this and wouldn’t attract enough rewards from Allah. Also this is our own way of reminding people out there that there so many people who don’t have access to food and other things to live a pleasant life’’.

    Responding to the inmates’ demands for an Arabic school, and an Asalatu group among others, Muhammad promised to discuss with the Nasfat Zone 1 chairman in Ikorodu to come up with a formidable blueprint on how this could be achieved.

    ‘’Nasfat doesn’t believe belief in doing things half way, we don’t want to start what we can’t finish, I will liaise with the Zone 1 chairman on how this can be achieved. Hopefully next year when we will come here the school would have been established,” he said. NASFAT Women Affairs Secretary, Alhaja samiat Mumuni said the gesture would bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots, saying that she has no regret not celebrating the festival with her family.

    She enjoined well meaning Nigerians not to leave the care of the inmates in the hands of government alone.

    “I want Muslims, organisations, industries and well meaning Nigerians to contribute their own quota towards the well beings of the inmates. They are just unfortunate to be here. I want them to come to a place like this at least once in a while to extend their hands of generosity to people here as this would help impact their lives positively; government alone cannot do this,” she said.

  • A thought for Makoko less-privileged

    A thought for Makoko less-privileged

    It was a cold Saturday morning. Hundreds of children and some aged at the Makoko slum in Lagos were almost hopeless over their situation. They wore long faces. But, shortly before sunrise, White House Group, a team of volunteers, led by its president, Mr. Austin Eroutour, visited the community with packs of foods.  And that changed, albeit, temporarily, the mood of the people. The people mostly children were excited and smiled as they filed out to receive their gift.

    The gesture of the society is driven by passion and quest to grow people and better the society.

    As they struggled to take turns, falling over one another, you could feel and see the innocence in them – the strong will to live, striving to add value to the larger human community.

    They were joyously exhibiting the ‘child’s innocence’ bringing to the fore their innate abilities to live their full potentials if given the opportunity by giving them education, while guiding and guarding them on the right paths, imbibing in them universally acceptable norms and values.

    Though there are education facilities in this community but many of the children were out of school for various flimsy reasons ranging from their parents inability to pay one levy or buy a book that the cost is not enough to buy meat pie in a fast food spot. Among these children are future doctors, accountants, lawyers, teachers, journalists, architects, administrators, writers, painters and engineers.

    Some of the children spoken to commended Whitehouse and other NGOs that had visited them and provided food and other items including medicine for their efforts. According to the children, they prefer being given scholarship that is real not on the pages of newspapers.

    Mr. Vincent Utere a PR trainer and a member of the team said that ‘the future development and unity of Nigeria lies in the hands of these children. Among them are would be great leaders in diverse fields. Therefore, it is our collective responsibility to help them discover and develop themselves. To realise this, we must all be involved irrespective of creed or tongue.’

    Mrs. Olanike Eruotor, who counselled some of the children stated that ‘our coming here is to see what we can do in our own little individual way to help make these wonderful children better than us. This is indirectly protecting ourselves as well as securing the lives of our children, building a peaceful and united Nigeria.’

    President Lagos Penya Club, Mr. Leslie Oghomienor,  said ‘a time has come for us as individual to allow our consciousness to be above our strength to make progress for the benefits of these little ones – our future. This place will never change. We have to change it. Our person-to-person little effort will make a great different. Do something for someone around you. It might be your lifeguard’.

    The team went on to attend to the elderly many of whom were women who apart from their inability to pay their rents or feed well, were having health issues due to the environment they line in – swampy and water logged. The team could not do much in terms of medicals since there were no qualified health personnel in the group.

    From Whitehouse effort and that of other organisations and individuals,  it is observed that change will only be made possible by those whose spirits are far bigger and stronger than their present circumstances.

    Eruotor noted that to strive to rise above the situation and hope for the better for no one was born with wealth or education. “You have the ability to be whatever you want for your own good and for the best of the society. Be strong do your best and God will surely do the rest,” he added.

    As the convoy of six trucks rolled off roaring towards the main road a few of the people chorus, ‘Please you people should come again… Apart from Makoko, over one billion people go to bed hungry each night and there are millions of children without clean potable water not to talk of food. There are women dying in bid to get the fruit of the womb while others are busy aborting pregnancies.

  • Resort Savings reiterates commitment to less-privileged

    Resort Savings and Loans Plc, a quoted mortgage bank, has expressed its desire to continue to support the poor in the society and create an environment that will help enhance their economic status.

    The mortgage bank made the commitment while donating some food items and toiletries to Little Saints Orphanage in Lagos.

    The donation, according to Mrs Titilope Osunsanya, who led a delegation from the bank to the orphanage, was in line with the bank’s commitment to the society.

    “This is our own way of supporting the society and giving back to it. Our desire is that the less privileged will continue to get help and also be able to rise to a position of becoming economically independent. We believe the only way to fight poverty is for all stakeholders to rise in their support and also ensure that they get basic needs,” Osunsanya said.

    She said further that “the bank is committed to identifying with the plight of the less privilege of the society and encouraged other well-meaning Nigerians to imitate this gesture.

    While receiving the gifts, a representative of the orphanage Mrs. George expressed appreciation to the bank for the visit while also thanking it for its show of love.

    She disclosed that the orphanage had a total of 112 children, adding “that such visits are important to help us to grow up with love and happiness”.

    The representative also encouraged other well-meaning Nigerians to show love in order to build up a credible work force for the nation as a whole.

  • Gbenga Elegbeleye dishes gifts to the less- privileged

    Gbenga Elegbeleye dishes gifts to the less- privileged

    St. Valentine’s Day is over. And following the celebration with varying display of love and affection, citizens are back to their normal routines. While to many, the day dedicated to celebrating love has become history, many less-privileged who benefitted from the benevolence of Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, the Director General of Sports Commission would not forget in a hurry how the philanthropic politician turned their otherwise bleak season of love into a bright one. Elegbeleye, the former deputy chairman of House Committee on Sports, used the day of love for what it truly was.

    In the spirit of love and sharing, he gave food items and cash to the less-privileged in celebration of St Valentine’s Day. His service to humanity is not new, and he has given many years of service in government, from being the youngest local government chairman, to service in the House of Representatives and currently the DG of Sports.

  • A lift for the less privileged

    The Good Shepherd Society of the Arch Bishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church, Ikeja GRA in Lagos has laid the foundation for the Christian Mission for the Deaf Church in Somolu. SAFIYYAH ABDUR-RAZAQ was there. 

    Imagine a church where sign language is a means of communication. Praise and worship will be conducted without singing and drumming. That church is being built by the Christian Mission for the Deaf Nigeria (CMDN) in Somolu, Lagos. Last Friday, the foundation of the permanent site of the Christian Mission for the Deaf Church in Somolu, Lagos  was laid.

    The event began with a collective recitation of the national anthem after which a brief history of the church was read by the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Christian Mission for the Deaf Nigeria (CMDN), Elder Silas Eke. He traced the history of the CMDN to 1960 when a Deaf American, Dr Andrew Foster started Christian evangelism among the deaf in Nigeria and established schools in Ibadan, Kaduna and Enugu.

    “The schools in Kaduna and Enugu”, he said, “were closed down during the civil war but have been reopened together with several other schools. In 197o, the Lagos branch of the church was opened by Dr Foster in Yaba.”

    The Chairman of the church, Amos Akeju, said the site was acquired in 2005 and the old building 2was used for Sunday service, midweek and weekend fellowships.

    “We continued to pray to God to help us in developing the site. It was during this period that God brought the former president of the Good Shepherd Society, the late Sir IKV Ezeonyido to our church one Sunday. He heard the special announcement that we were collecting the money for a permanent place of worship and he made a donation to the church that day. He also informed his society and they have been our partners since then.”

    Bishop of Lagos West Anglican Communion Rt. Rev James Odedeji laid the foundation and told the audience that when a man sows a good seed, he reaps God’s blessings.

    “This is the time we have all laboured for. We are in God’s hands and this place by the grace of God would soon be completed. This is a good investment, an eternal one. And our contributions would be an opportunity for us to write our names in the Book of Life,” Bishop Odedeji said.

    President of the  Society, Ossie Nwankwu,  said the assistance being rendered to the CMDC is an evangelical contribution to the society.

    “Jesus Christ is a good shepherd and he taught us to be a good shepherd, so we have to look out for our not-so-privileged members. We are also using this opportunity to sensitise members of the public to come and do God’s work”, he said.

    He said the society also provides guide sticks annually for the School for the Blind in Oshodi as well as funds for the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria.

    The CMDC church building, he said, will be a three-storey structure that would house an auditorium, classrooms, recreation facilities for the deaf and information and counselling for the deaf and their relatives.

  • Oritsejafor fetes less privileged

    Oritsejafor fetes less privileged

    •Distributes cars, grinding machines, others

    The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Presiding Pastor of the Word of Life Bible Church Warri, Delta State, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has been described as a true Christian leader who practices what he preaches.

    Imam Mohammed Saidu from Maiduguri, Borno State stated this at the annual poverty alleviation programme of the Eagle Flight Micro Finance Bank, a brainchild of the Word of Life Bible Church where items such as seven brand new Hyundai Grand cars meant for taxis, 20 tricycles, 100 grinding machines and several other consolation gifts were given out to people.

    He described the gesture by the church as a practical expression of love.

    He said the CAN president has always been a man of the people and a bridge builder between the christians and the muslims.

    Oritsejafor, who also inaugurated the new headquarters of the bank at the programme, said he was quite excited and very fulfilled because the true essence of christianity is to love.

    According to him, the Eagle Flight Micro Finance bank was set up about nine years ago to provide banking services to the less priviledge in the society and offer soft loans to indigent members of the society.

    He said it is part of the church’s effort at reaching out to the downtroden in the society who cannot afford the huge interest charged by commercial banks.

    Also, he said the gifts are given out annually to assist the people in their businesses.

    One of the guests at the event, Professor Mohammed Al-Amin, managing director of the Federal Housing Authority,  described Pastor Oritsejafor as a true christian who practices what he preaches.

    “It is a practical manifestation of the religion. Many pastors across the country have been preaching but Pastor Oritsejafor really has been wolking the preaching,” Amin stated.

    He, however, enjoined the CAN boss not to restrict the gestures to Warri alone but to extend it to all parts of the country because it is all about love.

    Two of the beneficiaries of the cars, 24-year-old Augustine Chinaso and 20-year-old Dazide Boy, said they were overwhelmed with the unexpected cars given out to them.

    Chinaso  thanked the Church for its magnimity, adding that he would forever be grateful to the church for lifting him out of poverty as the taxi would be a source income for his sustainance and finance his education.

    According the Chairman of the Bank, Rev. (Mrs.) Helen Oritsajafor, the poverty alleviation programme aligns with  Oritsejafor’s desire to minister not just to the spiritual need of man but also to the physical and economical needs of human existence.

    Furthermore, she  said the bank turnover has risen to well over N25bn with a staff strength of over 300.

    The bank, she added, has empowered and registered about 3.5m micro credit groups with a cash value of about N2.5bn.

    Mrs. Oritsejafor explained that loans have been granted to Small Medium Scale Enterprises to the tune of N10bn and corporate bodies with a cash value of N15bn.

    “To further encourage entrepreneurial development and inculcate the culture of savings, the bank has approved the opening of accounts with a minimum balance of just N500 for savings, N1,500 for current accounts and N2, 500 for corporate accounts.”

  • ‘Sign less-privileged commission bill into law’

    A group, under the auspices of The Strategic Team (TST) Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, has called on President Jonathan to sign the Less-privileged Commission Bill into law.

    According to the group, the bill when established will take care of all matters relating to people living with disabilities (PWD) in the FCT and the entire country.

    The National Coordinator of TST, Daniel Ohiomoba, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, praised “the dogged, tireless and uncompromising efforts of President Jonathan’s initiative and transformational strides in the area of people living with disability (PWD).”

    According to Ohiomoba, the PWDs have continually received support from the present administration, saying that in the past, they have been rejected and relegated to the background, sidelined and discriminated against.

    “The present administration has brought succour and hope to this vulnerable group and as a result donations, support materials and grants are being given to them. A lot of them are being sent on entrepreneurship trainings to empower them.

    “Co-operatives have been set up for them and most importantly, lands for the construction of rehabilitation centres have been acquired. These projects are going through various stages of development.

    “It is on this premise that The Strategic Team (TST) has keyed into the area of inclusion, by taking the transformational strides of President Jonathan, especially in the area of the physically-challenged to the grassroots in the FCT and in the Diaspora,” he said.

    The group further said a data base of PWDs, accessibility to free medical treatment, health insurance, not overlooking special schools, educational aids and materials for them and their children, must be top priority.

    The Regional Coordinator North-East USA of the group, Ambassador Grace Eke-Charrier, also said by doing this, the PWDs shall be given equity, dignity and equal opportunities in propelling Nigeria to greater heights as it obtains in other climes.

    “They will be carried along in the political and economic restructuring going on in the country as their constructive and meaningful inputs shall go a long way in contributing to the continued growth and development of this great nation,” she said.

  • Group donates to the less-privileged

    Group donates to the less-privileged

    The joy of inmates of the City of Refuge Orphanage, Durumi Abuja knew no bounds as a pro-democracy group presented to them gifts when they paid them a visit.

    The group said the choice of celebrating the day with the orphans was to bring the attention of affluent Nigerians to the plight of the less-privileged in the society.

    The orphanage has 15 children whose ages ranged between one day and 15 years.

    According to the National Coordinator of Grassroots Campaign for Goodluck, Mohammed Lawal Rabana, visiting the orphanage was to achieve a dual purpose of bringing succour to the home as well as send message of peace to the Nigerian youths as 2015 general elections approach.

    He said: “People might wonder what the connection between a pro-democracy group and the orphanage is. Well, the fact is that whatever we are, we should not forget that we have hundreds of less-privileged children around us that we can lend helping hands to.

    “Being a political group, we believed that our presence here would bring some sort of attention to this home in particular and such institutions around the country. Any form of assistance cannot be too little for these children that need all the love they can get.

    “We want to use this visit to also lend a voice to the campaign for all Nigerian children to be in school. Having our children in school is the only means of assuring the future of this country. If efforts are not made to put most of them in school, we will end up having huge number of uneducated and uninformed youths in the future.”

    The group that was mobilising support for the return of President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term also emphasised the need for peace as the 2015 general elections draw closer.

    Rabana said the Nigerian youths must be informed of the consequences of being used as tool for violence and destruction during the electioneering period.

    “We also want to use this platform to preach peace and tell our teeming youths across the country to be as careful as possible as 2015 approaches.

    “They should not allow themselves to be used as tools for violence and destruction because the youth are the target of unscrupulous politicians.

    “Our youths must be told that the future of the country should be paramount in their minds at all times and should revisit being used to scuttle that future. What we want every Nigerian to know is that it is only God that gives power to whom He pleases.

    “With that in mind, election should not be a do-or-die affair,” he added.

    In appreciation of the several packets and bags of household items that were presented to the children, the representative of the home, Mrs. Edwin Abraham said the gesture would go a long way in enhancing the well-beings of the children.

    “The happiness and excitement exhibited by the children showed how appreciative we are of this kind gesture of yours,” she said.

    While promising to put the materials to judicious use, Abraham urged other well-meaning Nigerians to render assistance to the home in whatever form.

  • Orji’s wife empowers 3,000 less-privileged

    Orji’s wife empowers 3,000 less-privileged

    The wife of Abia State governor, Lady Mercy Orji, has empowered about 3000 indigent people through her pet project, HannahMay Foundation.

    The effort received commendations from the state government, saying  that  the collaborative  initiative of the foundation has created wealth, employment  and  has sustained security  in the state. The indigent people are, therefore, in a better position to contribute to the economic well-being of the state.

    Speaking at the foundation’s recent distribution of empowerment items, the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji, praised the foundation for its partnering with  his administration to help the needy, thereby helping the reduce the work load on him.

    Orji, who was represented by the secretary to the state government, Mkpa Agu Mkpa, noted that the empowerment programme will be handing out various items to over 3000 Abia men, women, youths and the physically challenged selected from the 17 local government councils of the state is one of the legacy projects of his government.

    The governor said that the foundation has through its activities brought succour to families and reduced  crime in the state.

    He, therefore, called on public spirited individuals and organisations as well as non-governmental organisations (NGO) to use their wealth to positively touch the lives of the downtrodden t as the  HannahMay Foundation was doing.

    In her address of welcome, Mrs. Orji said that through the humanitarian strides of the foundation, HannahMay has been able to save lives, rescued women who would have been involved in human trafficking.

    Mrs Orji also said that her foundation has served mankind in epidemic and other humanitarian endeavours,stating that the its vision and mission was to show love by making life meaningful.

    She said that her aim is to reduce the burden of indigent persons, widows, widowers, motherless babies, Network of People living with HIV/AIDS [NEPHWAN] and prison inmates  in the state as part of her good governance complementing role.

    The wife of the governor, however, appealed to the beneficiaries to make effective use of the items to assist government tackle crime and unemployment, create wealth through stimulating economic activities in the state.

    She praised  the  governor for creating a favourable environment for the foundation to carry out its humanitarian programmes.

    Mrs Orji used the opportunity to appeal to well-to-do individuals  to assist and support the humanitarian efforts of the foundation in touching the lives of the downtrodden in the society.

    One of the beneficiaries who gave her name simply as Ijeoma, was full of gratitude to  Mrs Orji for her care and love forthe less privileged in the state and pray that God would continue to bless and protect her.

    Some of the items distributed include 1000 sewing machines, grinding machines, hair dressing equipments, barbing kits, vulcanizing machines, computer and its accessories among others.

  • NGO’s relief materials for the less-privileged

    NGO’s relief materials for the less-privileged

    A non-governmental organisation, Reality Organisation Worldwide, has distributed relief materials worth over N200,000 to no fewer than 24 less-privileged homes across the state.

    The items donated included bags of rice, beverages, bags of garri, toiletries, detergents and bags of iodized salt, among other items donated.

    Some of the homes that benefited from the philanthropist’s magnanimity are SOS Village, Amuzukwu, Asaga Ohafia motherless babies’ home, psychiatric Hospital, Mgboko, Helping Hands Disabled Association, Igbere, among others.

    In an interview with newsmen, the founder and the leader of the group, Elder Mrs. Eunice Uzor Kalu, mother of the former governor of Abia State Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, said the event which has become yearly since the it was initiated, provides the group with the opportunity of touching the lives of the needy in various destitute and motherless homes in the state, no matter their location.

    She said: “I would have given more than what I donated today. I will continue to do this as long as I live and as much as my resources can carry and as God keeps blessing me. This programme has come to stay and we will make sure that the aim of the programme is not defeated. We will continue to make sure that we put a smile on the faces of the less privilege in our communities and the state at large.”

    Elder Eunice also used the opportunity to call on public-spirited individuals, churches, private and corporate organisations in the state and country to channel some of their resources for the support of the needy as a measure of putting a smile on their faces.

    One of the sons of the donor and a one-time Chief of Staff to Governor Theodore Orji, Mr. Mascot Uzor Kalu, said the annual event has become part of the family, describing his mother’s gesture as one of her legacies.

    He said: “It is a big event. It is an event that my mum has done every year for up to twenty years to the less privilege. It is a legacy event that we would want to keep. Reality Organisation will outlive her.”

    Responding on behalf of the benefiting homes, Uchechukwu Nwaokere of SOS Village Amuzukwu-Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area thanked the donor for her philanthropic gestures and further called on government and other well-meaning individuals to come to their aid.

    Highlights of the occasion was the presentation of the items and handing over cash donations to the benefiting home by Elder Mrs. Eunice Uzor Kalu.