By Ibrahim Bello
Birnin Kebbi – A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Almajiris Supportive Initiative of Nigeria (ASIN), has distributed palliative items and preventive materials against COVID-19 to less privileged people and Qur’anic education pupils (Almajirai) in Kebbi.
The Chairman of the organisation, Alhaji Shehu Umar, spoke with newsmen shortly after distributing the items in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday, ahead of Eid-el-Fitri celebration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the items include: clothes, foodstuffs, sanitisers, face masks, gloves and cash.
Umar said that the gesture was to prevent the Almajirai and less privileged from wandering around in the course of searching for what to eat and wear during the festival.
“We just distributed foodstuffs, clothes, sanitisers, face masks and other protective items to the vulnerable people.
“The idea behind this gesture is to prevent them from going out for what to eat and wear during the festival.
“They can now stay at home and protect themselves against the novel COVID-19.
“We also taught them personal hygiene so that they can protect themselves against the virus,” he said.
Umar said that the beneficiaries comprised of the registered trainees of the NGO and vulnerable people as well persons living with disabilities that needed help.
“The beneficiaries are our trainees whom we are giving training on various vocational skills such as cosmetic, tailoring, vulcanising and automobile mechanics.
“We also went beyond that by identifying 202 persons living with the disabilities who really needed this gesture,” he said.
Umar commended the Wife of Kebbi Governor, Hajiya Aishatu Bagudu, state Ministry of Women Affairs, various permanent secretaries at the Federal Government and State levels for the assistance rendered to the organisation.
“Some of them don’t want their names mentioned because they believe they are doing it for the sake of Allah and humanity.
“We have many permanent secretaries who donated foodstuffs, clothes and protective items against COVID-19, but pleaded anonymity,” he said.
(NAN).
