By Mumini AbdulKareem
The Islamic Orphanage Foundation (IOF) on Sunday in Ilorin distributed
sewing machines and a welding machine to seven benefiting orphans of
its 2019 empowerment programme.
Another orphan also benefited equipment for sale of lubricant oil
following the completion of their successful training.
In his speech, the Chairman of the Foundation, Alhaji Sefiullahi Alege
said that no fewer than 276 orphans were under the care of the
foundation undergoing their studies at various schools and vocational
centres.
According to him, about 13 orphans have completed their tertiary
education since 2002 that the foundation was established with 84
students currently in tertiary institutions across the country while
179 are in primary and post-primary school as well as vocational
training centres.
“As we all know a day is usually set aside to showcase the activities
of the foundation in the last 12 months, as a way of thanking God and
rejoicing together with stakeholders and guardians of our children and
other stakeholders.
“Annual Orphanage Day is a forum meant for rendering our stewardship
about orphans in our care, financial situation of the foundation and
to intimate you with challenges and how to forge ahead.
“At this juncture, we want to thank the Federal Government of Nigeria
under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari for allowing the
Nigerian Customs Service to make donation of food items and clothes to
the foundation and other like organisations,” he said.
Alege, however, identified funding as a major challenge facing the
operation of the foundation.
“Finances has always been the bane of all associations like ours but
we thank all our stakeholders for making it possible to go this far”,
he said, urging the well meaning individuals and corporate bodies to
donate to towards the betterment of the orphans.
The foundation chairman commended various donors, who have contributed
to support the programme and appealed to the Federal Government, state
and the traditional leaders to address the issue of insecurity to
reduce the number of orphans resulting from death of parents due to
insecurity.
In her remarks, Haji Habeebah Salman Saidu, who is in charge of
administration, asset and general welfare of the orphans called for
more support from bodies, individuals and government adding that the
organisation have been very prudent and judiciously deployed the
contribution it has received so far.
One of the beneficiaries, Hamdalat Omotosho commended the foundation
for its activities towards making life meaningful for the orphans.
She said that the care by the foundation had really ameliorated what
would have their suffering due to loss of parents.
She pledged that the beneficiaries would make judicious use of the
working implement.
