NGO seeks more support, care for orphans
Kehinde Akinpelu Ilorin
The Islamic Orphanage Foundation, a non-governmental organization based in Ilorin, Kwara state which specialises in humanitarian services to the less privileged has solicited for more support for orphans under its care.
The foundation noted that the increase in the number of orphans in the society has contributed to its challenges of catering for their needs especially in the area of payment of school fees among others, our correspondent reports.
Chairman of the foundation, Sefiullahi Alege, who spoke to journalists in Ilorin at the 2019 annual empowerment programme for orphans, stressed that “there is no religious discrimination in the admission of orphans and venerable children into the foundation.
“What we do is to carefully screen the children in order to know if they really need our support going by their parental and family status. In fact, there was a time when one Christian man supported us with N40, 000, bags of rice and other items.”
While appreciating the federal government for its kind gesture, Alege said the Islamic Orphanage Foundation has benefitted from government’s policy of giving out contraband seized by customs during the last Ramadan.
He said: “At this juncture, we want to thank the federal government under the watch of President Muhammdau Buhari for allowing the Nigerian Customs Service to make donation of food items and clothes to organizations like ours.
“A total number of 276 children have benefitted from our activities of which 176 are in primary and secondary schools, 84 in tertiary institutions and 13 have since graduated.
“We seize this opportunity to appeal to you to assist in buying equipment for our children that will be graduating from their training. Similarly, there will be need to provide funds for their take off like renting shops and working capital.
Today, six beneficiaries will be empowered with sewing machines, one with welding machine and another one with equipment for sale of engine oil.
“Our centre if completed will be of assistance to the Foundation in terms of source of fund as well as proper training of our children.
We therefore, appeal for assistance from known individuals and bodies within or outside Nigeria for the completion of the centre as work as been suspended at site for the past three years.
“We appeal to federal and state governments, traditional and spiritual leaders to address the issue of security in the country.
As we all know, the result of insecurity is production of more orphans all over the country. Our IDP centres are also not safe because of the incessant attacks on the innocent people.”
