1 out of 100 ACHIEVEMENT OF SWOT FOUNDATION that makes Hajjiya NANA SHETTIMA as best African Lady for making the ORDINARY, EXTRA ORDINARY. “KEEP FEELING THE NEED FOR BEING FIRST. BUT I WANT YOU TO BE FIRST IN LOVE. I WANT YOU TO BE THE FIRST IN MORAL EXCELLENCE, I WANT YOU TO BE THE FIRST IN GENEROSITY” –MARTIN LURTHER KING. The above quotation succinctly describes the Personality and Character of the wife of the Borno state governor Her Excellency Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima. It is common Knowledge that tears do not always depict expression of sorrow, sadness and pain as People shed tears of joy especially when their lives are positively touched beyond expectation through humanitarian gestures particularly in our contemporary society where almost everyone beliefs in the saying ‘everyone for himself and god for us all’ mainly due to high poverty level in the society. People lack almost everything. From basic human needs to complex social desires, an average man on the street struggles on a daily basis to live, as it were, from hand to mouth. As a result, whatever or whoever ameliorates his suffering is revered with celestial reverence. Have you seen a grown man cry from the pain of lack? Do you know how it feels to be really hungry? Can you be sick and not see a doctor because of inability to pay medical bills? Can you bear to see your children grow up to become nonentities because of the exorbitant cost of educating them? Appalling as these may sound; it is actually a factual reflection of our society. As such, the advent of a messiah is highly desired to free the indigents from the claws of lack. With a constant charming smile and an attractive air of magnanimity, Her Excellency, wife of the Executive Governor of Borno State, Hajiya Nana Shettima exudes an angelic touch of generosity, philanthropy and humanitarianism a trilogy that has positively and effectively impacted on the lives of the Poor, the Vulnerable and the downtrodden masses in Borno. Even before the advent of her pet project, Hajiya Nana Shattima started putting the necessary machinery in motion to actualize her passion for helping the needy by personally improving their lots by distributing food items, clothing materials, poverty alleviation materials to those skilled but lack tools and well as take off grants for those in petty trades to boost their business capitals among others. The beneficiaries are mainly Widows, Orphans, Almajiris and their Tsangaya Teachers, Islamiya Schools and other vulnerable groups like victims of the current insecurity, poor patients in Hospitals, prison inmates as well as physically challenged persons. By way of encouraging the Tsangaya Teachers, one hundred bags of rice, one hundred bags of beans, one hundred Jerry cans of cooking oil and a power generating set to each Tsangaya center was donated. Similarly, one hundred each of Keke Napep, pester making machines, sewing machine, knitting machines and grinding machines were distributed to beneficiaries in what appears to be the first of several activities. Upon the establishment of her pet project ‘The Support for Widows, Orphans and Tsangaya acronym “The SWOT Foundation” On the 17th of July this year, another set of poverty alleviation materials were distributed to beneficiaries from each of the 27 LGAs of Borno State. The beneficiaries who were mainly widows, orphans and other vulnerable members of the society were given scooter motorcycles, 100 Sewing machines to Maiduguri and Jere Local Governments, Grinding and Husking machines, knitting machines, power generators and hair driers, water pumps and paster machines and two hundred keke Napeps with each LGA having a minimum of 36 beneficiaries who were painstakingly selected bringing the total number of beneficiaries to over one thousand in just one year. Similar fifty residents of Wulari and Shuwari wards of Maiduguri Metropolis were given twenty five thousand naira each to enhance their petty businesses. Hajiya Nana Shettima, also turned the focus of her support to poor and vulnerable to displaced persons bedeviled by challenges of insecurity in the State. The beneficiaries are mainly from the worst hit areas of Lawan Bukar, Kaleri and Kawar Maila Wards all in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council. One hundred victims were selected from these wards and presented with100 (25 litres) Jerri cans of cooking oil, 50 kilograms bags of Rice and Beans to every affected family. Children were also not left out as orphans in all wards of the metropolis were presented clothing materials on the eve of sallah along with wrappers for their mothers. Not only that children cutting across all family backgrounds and schools were made to smile when the amiable governor’s wife hosted them for the Children’s Day celebration on the 27th of May, 2012 in what can best be described as unprecedented manners. In a like manner, street urchins and ‘Almajiris’ were not left out as Hajiya Nana Shettima ensured they also share in the joy of humanity. On that day One Hundred Tsangaya School were given fully stocked First Aid Boxes, double plastic mats (five each) as well as treated mosquito nets. Islamiya schools equally benefitted from the gesture as each of the forty schools selected within Maiduguri and Jere Local Governments received five large size poly mats including books and writing materials. “Orchards for Job creation, Funds and Environmental safety” was another initiative of Nana Shettima for the growing of fruits and other agricultural produce thereby creating the much needed employment for Widows, Orphans and Restive Youths. During the first phase the Orchards are sited in Bama, Magumeri, Damboa, Kaga and Konduga local government areas for the growing of economic trees like Mango, Orange, Guava, Date palm and Gum Arabic. Launching the programme at Dalori Village of Konduga Local Government Hajiya Nana Shettima gave 500 seedlings of each fruits for planting in each of these Orchards in addition to, 50 water pumps and 50 power generators with one million naira cash donation for proper nurturing of the trees to maturity. To Cushing the hardship of the poor and indigent in the society during the Holy month of Ramadan the mother of Borno in her usual characteristic offered to feed five hundred people through the distribution of free food in addition to giving each of the one hundred registered Tsangaya centre a bag of rice and sugar. Similar gesture was also extended to one Hundred Widows and Orphans. Also during the month, Molai Leprosarium received 20 bags each of rice and sugar, five milling machines and six jerry cans of cooking oil, two large size cooking pots, cooking utensils, two husking machines and three grinding machines to serve as sources of income to take the lepers off street begging.The machines which have already been installed are efficient in income generation as attested to by the beneficiaries. In addition, were also given. During both Eid El Fitr and Eid El- Kabir Sallah festivals,two hundred Rams, 200 pieces of wrapper and 150 ‘shada’ materials were given to widows and Tsangaya teachers respectively. Indeed the magnanimity of Nana Shettima knows no bounds as attested to by thousands of her beneficiaries who would not stop singing her praise and eulogizing her with encomiums that are rightly deserved. In as much as time and space would not allow for a comprehensive litany of her Excellency’s impact on the lives of her people, it is worthy to note that she personally challenged spouses of Chairmen and District Heads to step up efforts in eliminating polio and other child killer diseases by personally pushing the National Immunization plus Days Campaign to every nook and cranny of the State. In prioritizing Health Care, Girl-child Education and Women Development Hajiya Nana Shettima empowered VVF patients for self reliance and social integration upon completion of their skill acquisition training by the state ministry of women affairs. The graduating trainees were given sewing machines, certificates of graduation and a takeoff grant of twenty five thousand naira each. This lady of compassion has endeared herself to many families through her frequent visits to the VVF wards and other patients in hospitals. Even medical staffs of the ward were not left out of her generosity as cash donation was made to the management in appreciation of their efforts. The International Women Day, 2012, did not go unnoticed as Nana Shettima identified 100 poor and vulnerable women who she presented with food items, wrappers and two thousand naira each in addition, she selected 50 women achievers to serve as mentors and role models to at least two school girls, where she set the pace by accepting two girls to be under her care and support. Hajiya Nana Shettima’s love for the poor made her to pick up the medical bill of about 70 patients amounting to nearly 10 million naira both within and outside Borno State. This includes the case of one Zainab Adamu who was abandoned by her family after delivery. the wife of the Governor foot the bill of Zainab amounting to three hundred thousand naira 2.5 million naira for Fanna Ali kyari to undergo heart surgery abroad among many others at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. At the National level, she secured motorize wheelchairs, walking sticks and solar powered lightening facilities for physically challenged persons in the state from Nigeria’s First Lady Dame (Dr.) Patience Jonathan during the special programme on people with disabilities in Abuja. In the same vein, Hajiya Nana shettima received Mr. David Richards, president of the United Cerebral Palsy Organization and pledged to collaborate with them in a bid to make life bearable for physically challenged persons in Borno State. To many, the very first year of Hajiya Nana Shettima’s stewardship in spearheading the cause of Maternal and Child Health, Widows, Orphans, Tsangaya pupils as well as other poor and vulnerable in the society was seen as a good start to a successful ending. The Support for Widows, Orphans and Tsangaya (SWOT) Foundation has carried out many activities in fulfillment of Her Excellency’s dream of affecting lives. Being a Non Governmental organization personally financed by Her Excellency without any political undertone, SWOT Foundation has secured job opportunities for hundreds of widows, orphans and the unemployed through the Federal Government SURE-P Project. If Hajiya Nana Shettima’s marvelous feat is a source of wonder, perhaps even more wonderful is the fact that she records all these achievements in just one year. Remarkable! Even more palatable is the fact that SWOT, her vehicle for reaching the indigents, is solely and personally financed by herself devoid of external influence. Therefore, it is bound to continue even after her glorious tenure in office. In fact, even prisoners at the Maiduguri Maximum Security Prison still sing her praise finding it difficult to forget how on May 29, 2012, she settled the fine of indigent inmates worth four hundred thousand naira thereby freeing over 40 inmates and also distributing sewing machines, assorted food items, toiletries and undisclosed cash to female prisoners. Hajiya Nana Shettima’s feat is indeed a feet in the right direction. Borno hails you, beloved mother, for making the Ordinary, Extra Ordinary. May Allah SWT reward Her Excellency Abondantly
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 21:00:51 +0000
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