By Mike Adeyemi
The Islamic Orphanage Foundation, Ilorin on Sunday sought for a permanent employment slot for its graduates in both private and public sectors in the state.
The chairman of the foundation, Architect Saefullahi Ahmad Alege made the call while delivering his address at the 13th Anniversary of the foundation held at the National Secretariat of the Ilorin Emirate Descendant Progressive Union, Geri-Alimi, Ilorin.
According to him, the government and private sectors should make it a matter of policy to employ graduates of the foundation yearly in order to make them breadwinners.
He said the foundation has produced over eight graduates since inception and appealed to the government and private sectors to open the window of permanent employment for graduates from the orphanage adding that it will go a long way in making them breadwinners who will in turn cater for other orphaned children rather than depending on others.
He said apart from feeding, finance has been a major challenge for them and thanked Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, Professor Muhammed Jamiu Oyawoye among other individuals and organisations for the support since inception.
“…Last year, we borrowed N1.1m to offset the school fees at the time of resuming new section, but it has reduced to N545,000 this year. But we are optimist that we will avert borrowing anything again with the ongoing efforts.
“As part of suggestion made during the Advocacy/Sensitisation drive, we have already started the process of getting 10,000 people to contribute 1,000 monthly as a means of easing our financial burden.
“Out of the 276 children with us, 84 are in tertiary institutions all over the country, while 9 are receiving training in different professions…”it added.
He appealed for assistance within and outside the country for the completion of the orphanage centre for which work has been suspended since three years.
On security, it appealed to the federal, state governments, traditional and spiritual leaders to collelctively address the issue in the country which effect has produced a lot of orphaned children scattered in various IDP’s camp in the country which has suffered incessant attacks.
“…The whole scenario is politically motivated, its root must be identified and the culprit brought to book”, it submitted.
