It was a joyous moment for Mrs. Oluchi Monday, a widow, with five children, when on Friday, June 9, 2023, Rotary Club of Fagge, Kano, gifted her a brand new grinding machine, to boost her business at Abubakar Rimi market, Sabon Gari, in the ancient town. Her excitement attracted a sizeable crowd at Royal Park Hotel&Suits, Zungeru Road, Sabon Gari, venue of the Rotary Club of Fagge Projects and Awards programme. Soaked in hilarious jubilation, she sang, danced, thanked God and her benefactors for rekindling her hope, providing means to feed her children and pay their school fees.
Mrs. Monday was part of the five less privileged people who benefited from the Rotary Club of Fagge kind gesture that evening. Mrs. Precious Ifanyi, Mrs. Esther Aham, and Mrs. Amu Matilda, also received brand new grinding machines each; while Brother Chinedu Okwor, a professional tailor, who before now, had been struggling to acquire a sewing machine, after apprenticeship, saw his dream came true, as he was gifted a brand new sewing machine to start-up his Fashion&Design business. For Chinedu Okwor, a bachelor, that gesture was an inroad to a better life—a new beginning for a future that looks brighter than he ever imagined.
Addressing the beneficiaries shortly after handing over the items to them, Assistant Zonal Coordinator for Rotary Club, Kano Zone, Honourable Ethelbert Onuoha, congratulated them for being among the lucky people to receive Rotary’s breeze of philanthropy. According to him, “one of the core objectives of Rotary is to give a helping hand to the needy and the less privileged. Rotary is committed to serve humanity and reach out to the needy.
“This evening, we have come together to give the little we can. We believe that the little we have given to the beneficiaries will go a long way to impacting on their lives, their children and the people around them. We are not giving them for their own benefits alone, but for the people around them. Rotary Club of Fagge has done a lot of empowerment programmes during this Rotary year. We have done medical outreach at the Maternity Centre on Middle Road, Sabon Gari, Fagge Local Government Area. We have done some road sign posts within the Kano city. We have donated wheel chairs to the physically challenged. We want the beneficiaries to see what we are giving today as a fruit that will expand and benefit others. I pray that God will make this donations fruitful and impactful to many others.”
Beneficiaries of empowerment items from Rotary Club Fage, Kano
The Rotary Club of Fagge also used the occasion to honour three philanthropists identified as their partners in progress.
The awardees were honoured in recognition to their support and contributions to humanitarian services, through the Rotary services platform. Among those who received the award include: Mr. Chukwuma Umeh, Chief Executive Officer, Rainbow Foam Industry Limited, Kano; Ambassador (Chief) Williams Onyema Mbah (Ezinwa Na Mbaise) Managing Director, Foccas Pharmaceuticals Limited, Kano; and Mr. C.J. Babu, Director (marketing) Sam Pharmaceuticals Limited, Kano. The award recipients all expressed joy for the honour bestowed on them and pledged to do even more in support of humanity through Rotary humanitarian services.
In his brief remarks, the President of Rotary Club of Fagge, Doctor Oji Akpala, a renowned medical practitioner, expressed fulfilment that the Club was able to achieve such feats under his leadership. He promised to keep the light of Rotary Club of Fagge, shinning brighter, even as he is planning to handover to his successor towards the end of June.
Our Correspondent reports that just recently, over 100 pregnant women received free antenatal treatment, drugs, vaccines, orientation and free birth kits from a team of medical doctors and nurses sponsored by the Rotary Club of Fagge.The three-day free medical project tagged: “Disease Prevention and Treatment, ” held at the Maternity and Child Health Centre, Middle Road, Sabon Gari, Fagge Local Government Area.
During the health-talks, the beneficiaries received orientation on how to prevent diseases and infections during pregnancy, as well as how best to take good care of their babies at birth. The Rotary Club of Fagge also used the opportunity to engage in aggressive campaigns against the spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis.Beneficiaries also received free malaria test and treatment, free antenatal services and drugs, free blood group and genotype test, blood donation services and free consultation. The Rotary Club of Fagge also donated assorted types of vaccines to the Maternity Center to enable them take adequate care of pregnant women, nursing mothers and newborn babies.
Speaking to our Correspondent during the medical outreach, Dr. Akpala said the Rotary Club of Fagge was concerned over the plight of pregnant women and nursing mothers in the society, and determined to finding ways of alleviating them. He said the project was in line with Rotary Club’s humanitarian services. According to him, the main idea behind the project was to promote maternal and child health, giving hope to pregnant women and nursing mothers, particularly, those from the less privileged background.
He further hinted that the Rotary Club of Fagge spent over N300,000 for drugs, vaccines, birth-kits and other items donated freely to the beneficiaries and the Maternity Center, promising that the Club would be ever ready to do even more in its bid to help humanity.
