Xmas: NGO celebrates with 500 vulnerable women

Ahead of the Christmas celebration, an Abuja-based NGO, Helpline Foundation for the Needy Abuja (HFNA), has reached out to 500 vulnerable women in the FCT and neighbouring states of Nasarawa, Niger and Kogi. The foundation distributed food items and clothing materials as part of activities to mark its 20th anniversary and end of year reach […]

Ahead of the Christmas celebration, an Abuja-based NGO, Helpline Foundation for the Needy Abuja (HFNA), has reached out to 500 vulnerable women in the FCT and neighbouring states of Nasarawa, Niger and Kogi.

The foundation distributed food items and clothing materials as part of activities to mark its 20th anniversary and end of year reach out and empowerment programme for vulnerable women and children in rural communities.

Speaking to journalists at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, venue of the occasion, the President of the foundation, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, revealed that over 10,000 vulnerable women and children had benefited from the scheme since its inception in 2003, and that 3,000 children from less privileged homes were on the scholarship scheme of the foundation.

Dr. Ahmadu also used the forum to state that besides the reach out programme, the foundation had redesigned its programmes to focus more on skills acquisition training and empowerment rather than distribution of foodstuff, stressing that the 20th anniversary was unique as over 100 women would be empowered through various skills acquisition training.

She said, “We are here this morning to mark our 20th anniversary and at the same time do our usual annual reach out programme for widows and orphans across the FCT and the neighbouring states of Nasarawa, Niger and Kogi.

“It has been our tradition for 20 years to seize every opportunity and occasion to put smiles on the faces of the less privileged, especially women. Today, we are training women…in different forms in view of the season and to distribute food and clothing items to them so that they too can join the privileged class to celebrate Christmas.

“It has been our philosophy and our slogan that ‘nobody is too poor to give and nothing is too small to give.’ However, we at Helpline Foundation have decided to focus more on skills acquisition programmes and empowerment of the vulnerable.”

She commended the present administration for demonstrating commitment in ensuring that women were able to access available grants for their empowerment, adding that the FCT Gender Department under the Social Development Secretariat had lived up to its mandate.

Ahmadu also commended Make a Difference for the Needy Foundation, Ladies of Grace, Right Healthcare Foundation, among other NGOs for their purposeful partnership over the years.

One of the beneficiaries and Coordinator of Bwari women, Mrs. Terdoo Ubah, commended the foundation for its steadfastness in women empowerment, revealing that the revolving loan scheme launched by the foundation had empowered over 200 widows in Bwari Area Council of the FCT.