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It was joy in Wesere community in Badagry West Local Council Development Area of Lagos State recently when ActionAid Nigeria and Humanity Family Foundation for Peace and Development (HUFFPED) empowered 12 persons among the youths and women groups in the community.
At the event attended by members of the community, officials of the Local Council, ActionAid Nigeria and HUFFPED, the beneficiaries were presented equipment to facilitate their businesses.
Executive Director of HUFFPED, Mr. Henry Adenigba enjoined beneficiaries to make good use of the equipment and maximize them for profits.
According to Adenigba, the organisation would visit the beneficiaries in their work stations periodically to encourage them and ensure the equipment are put to good use.
“Not that we will not return to ask about the equipment. It is not what you should sell off for immediate gain but what you should work with to make profit. If you look at the materials, you would see ActionAid and HUFFPED inscribed on them, they are not from the government, those who love humanity made the donations. Make sure the equipment achieve their purposes,” he said.
Chairman of Badagry West Local Government Area of Lagos State, Honourable Gbenu Henugbe, however appreciated ActionAid and HUFFPED for their usual interventions in the area, enjoining the people to reciprocate their love by remaining law abiding and utilise the equipment given to them for profit.
Represented by an official of the Local Government, Mr. Gusanu Sovi, the Chairman said, “If other organsiations are emulating community interventions of ActionAid and HUFFPED, poverty will be eradicated in no time in the communities because, they are not just giving people fish but they are teaching the people to fish.”
Stating further, Sovi said, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, they gave palliatives to our people in the communities and their palliatives were the best in the area. I appreciate them.
“They also brought drinkable water facility. Nobody is forcing them to intervene in the communities but because of the love they have for us. They don’t bother the Council for assistance; all they do here is from their purse. The Chairman is very happy for all they have done for our communities,” he said, enjoining the beneficiaries to make good use of their equipment.
“Please the Chairman is enjoining you to utilise your equipment, don’t sell them, make use of them to work and make profit. This is how to encourage our benefactors to do more,” he said.
Appreciating HUFFPED and ActionAid Nigeria, Councilor in charge of ward B, Badagry West Local Government Area, Honourable Joseph Godonu Friday, appreciated the Program Officer of the project, Timothy Kehinde who is always presenting the case of Wesere to the Local Government.
He however appealed to the Chairman of the Local Government to come to the aid of the community on the needed water facility and good road to link the community to the main road.
“It is my joy today that people are benefiting while alive. The only way to help HUFFPED and ActionAid Nigeria and encourage them is that you don’t sell whatever you get from them, work with the equipment and expand your business. There is nothing without challenge, when your equipment develops fault due to use, repair them, don’t abandon them.
“I’m happy that this thing is happening in my ward. I’m appealing to the Local Government to support ActionAid Nigeria to be able to do more. On behalf of the people of Wesere, we appreciate the kind gesture,” he said.
In his own comment, representative of ActionAid at the event, Mr. Bernard Ibelih, enlightened the community and guests at the event about community interventions of ActionAid Nigeria.
According to Ibelih, “This project is a product of community sponsorship. There is a program we do that is called Child Sponsorship for which people save their little amount of money to support. Projects like this is also so supported, so we need that people who are privileged among us to support the less privileged and that is what we call Nigerians for Nigerians.”
Continuing, he said, “All the things we see here are from Nigerians who have been blessed and who have reserved a token from their personal earnings to support us to go into rural areas where the government has not reached. We have a way to investigate the communities to reach.
“The people supporting are not super rich people, you can be among them. We need a little support from you and that is similar to the parable of the talents where some servants were given talents and they multiplied them. Please whatever you are given today, just work with them and multiply them,” he encouraged the beneficiaries.
Chief Agosu Samuel is the Acting Baale of Wesere community who appreciated ActionAid Nigeria and HUFFPED at the event.
“I am so happy for the help of God through ActionAid Nigeria. I was not the Baale here when they started coming to this community to work but I used to come around and I used to hear about their interventions. They gave us food and water, the love is so unique and we don’t know how we merited it. God will continue to bless these organisations and keep them from danger,” he prayed.
Beneficiaries took turn to appreciate ActionAid and HUFFPED after receiving their equipment.
A beneficiary who introduced himself as Stephen said, “I’m so happy today. Since I finished learning fashion designing at Badagry, I used to rent machine to work, I appreciate ActionAid and HUFFPED. I pray for them that they will continue to be blessed by God.
Another beneficiary, Awonrosu Iyabo, a hairdresser who was given hairdressing equipment and a tiger generator said, “I learnt the trade at Owode, I will be working at Kankon. I am so happy and I pray for ActionAid that God will continue to help them and provide for them.
“I finished learning last year and I have been looking for how to establish and now God has done it, I am so happy,” she said.
Utome Michael has been a tiller for five years but had no machine to work with. According to him, he usually rents machine from colleagues and pays back from whatever profit made.
“I have been a tiller for five years, I am so happy for what ActionAid did for us today at Wesere. They have been assisting us but this one today is a big one. Before now, I used to rent machines whenever there is job to do. I travel as far as Benin City and even Benin Republic to go and work but now it is going to be easier since I have my own machine now, I don’t have to rent again,” he said.
Another beneficiary, Gandonu Monday who got a sewing machine for his work said, “I am a cobbler, I was given a sewing machine. I thank ActionAid and HUFFPED for what they did for me. Things are now expensive but they still came to donate equipment, may God bless them. I thank them for this benefit,” he appreciated.
Okebukola Saheed was also a beneficiary who was grateful to ActionAid and HUFFPED at the event.
“I appreciate ActionAid Nigeria and their partner, HUFFPED for what they did for me today. Truly if I opened a shop, it is my responsibility to buy equipment but now they have given me one. If I needed to buy five equipment and they have given me two, then it means I only need three left, it is a plus because from the two, I will be able to buy the remaining three by God’s grace.
“I thank ActionAid and HUFFPED, I am into aluminum works. I have a partner I rent machine from but now when I get a contract, I don’t have to rent and share my profit anymore.”
Appreciating ActionAid and HUFFPED at the event, Baale of Kankon, Chief Abraham Abayomi appreciated the groups for the kind gesture. He also encouraged artisans who have not been empowered to continue in their trades and be optimistic ahead of the next donations.
“I thank God for this opportunity today. I am the Baale of Kankon, Iwesere land. I am appealing to those who didn’t get equipment today to be hopeful and continue their various activities. I know they will get next time when this opportunity comes to Kankon because whatever belongs to Kankon also belongs to Wesere and vice versa,” he said.
*Report by Dayo Emmanuel
@dayoemmanuel2
