How physically challenged girl’s tears over wheelchair turned blessing

Sitting in a corner and weeping profusely was a 12-year old physically challenged girl, Na’ima Hamza, who was crying following exclusion of her name from beneficiaries of wheelchairs donated to physically challenged persons in Dutse, the Jigawa state capital. The donation was organized by a member of the National Youth Corps (NYSC) as part of […]

Sitting in a corner and weeping profusely was a 12-year old physically challenged girl, Na’ima Hamza, who was crying following exclusion of her name from beneficiaries of wheelchairs donated to physically challenged persons in Dutse, the Jigawa state capital.

The donation was organized by a member of the National Youth Corps (NYSC) as part of his community service during the national assignment.

Though nobody invited Na’ima to the venue of the donation, but she attended the event with hope to get a wheelchair largely due to her critical condition.

Na’ima, who has paralyzed legs, broke into tears as the three selected physically challenged persons from her community took turn to receive the wheelchairs.

Little Na’ima, who lost her limb at the age of one, had her hope dashed away when those chosen to benefit from the gesture left cheerfully rolling down the road on their newly acquired mobility.

Touched by her situation, some of the invited guests at the occasion in their efforts to console the physically challenged girl, dashed her some money which she took back home.

As Na’ima returned home with disappointment of not getting the donation, little did she know that her frustration will turn blessing as few days after the event she got two wheelchairs, sewing machines to start a business and many more.

First, the Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Suleiman Kazaure donated a wheelchair to Na’ima and another philanthropist from Hadejia local government area of the state, who pleaded for anonymity, also donated another wheelchair to the little girl.

The anonymous donor also donated a cell phone and three sewing machines to the girl, rented her a shop to start a tailoring business and pledged to sponsor her education.

The two treadles sewing machines were given to her relations to serve as their source of income, while the hand operated machine was for Na’ima, Kano Chronicle, gathered.

Again, a traditional title holder, Dan Amanan Dutse, Alhaji Nasiru Haludu Danu has also donated a tricycle to the little girl.

Speaking to Kano Chronicle, Na’ima said when she was invited to Shuwarin by the district head of Kiyawa local government area of Jigawa state, she was overwhelmed by joy because she knew that something good might happen to her even though nobody intimate her why she was invited.

She said, “I had the feeling that the difficulties I was facing while crawling around will be over. So, I did not waste time in boarding commercial motorcycle to Shuwarin.”

Hailed from Gurduma village in Jigawa state, Na’ima has already been re-enrolled into primary school and she told Kano Chronicle that her ambition “is to continue with her education up to University.”

Na’ima said she had never practiced street begging despite the fact that she was withdrawn from school because her parent could not afford her school fees.

Mallam Hamza Mohammed is Na’ima’s father and he told our reporter that his daughter was born like any other child but a year after she was brought down by measles.

“We took her to Jama’are general hospital in Bauchi state for medical treatment but after several efforts by the doctors to treat her ailment, they realized that she could not walk. We have to resign to fate, as they said my daughter cannot walk again,” he said.

He described her as not only hardworking person despite her disability but very intelligent, if her performance in Qur’anic school was anything to go by.

Na’ima’s mother, Hajara Hamza, said the kind of assistance her daughter received  from individuals has opened a new chapter in her life, saying, “as a tailor, she will give free training to any female with similar challenge.

“What people did to my daughter, have motivated me to be a philanthropist too. I realized now that a little one gets, can be used to touch the lives of many.”

Commenting on the development, the District Head of Shuwarin, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi, in whose palace the items were presented to the girl, commended the donors for their humanitarian gesture and called on wealthy individuals in his domain to emulate them.