By Sani Gaza Chinade, Damaturu
HOTPEN – Ya Zara Orphan Care Foundation, Potiskum in Yobe State has today graduated 16 Orphans and secured them admission to continue their education at El-Kanemi College of Islamic Theology, Maiduguri.
In his address during the graduation ceremony, Engr Abubakar D. Aliyu, Minister of Power and Chairman of the Board of Trustees Ya Zara Orphan Care Foundation welcomed the guests to witness the official departure of another batch of 16 Orphans under the care of the foundation, to El Kanemi College of Islamic Theology Maiduguri to continue their Basic and Secondary education.
According to him, “today’s occasion is also organized to welcome the second set of Orphans, comprising 15 boys and 10 girls, to the Orphanage”.
“May I take this opportunity to welcome Honourable Members of the State House of Assembly, Members of the State Executive Council, Permanent Secretaries, Chief Executives of Parastatals, Chairmen of Local Government, Your Royal Highnesses, Party executives, Ulamas and all distinguished guests for finding time despite crowded schedules to grace this occasion. This is an indication of your interest and commitment to matters affecting Orphans. May the Almighty Allah reward you abundantly”.
“Distinguished Invited Guests, ladies and gentlemen, five years ago, the Ya Zara Orphan Care Foundation started the process of establishing this Orphanage to provide a loving and supportive home environment for orphans. The first set of 25 Orphans to be admitted was drawn from Fika, Fune, Nangere, and Potiskum Local governments. In realization of our objective of providing free education and free care home for Orphans, we explored and identified individuals, institutions, and philanthropic organizations for collaborative efforts. Today’s milestone event is one of the results of such efforts.”
“I should at this point express our profound appreciation to Dr. Muhammad Sani Idriss the Honourable Commissioner for Education and Executive Director of El Kanemi College of Islamic Theology for agreeing to serve on the Board of Trustees of this Foundation, allowing us to use the Colleges’ curriculum and for sending staff of the College to come on a periodic visit to the Orphanage to assess the implementation of academic programs and advise as appropriate. This has no doubt strengthened our resolve to seek for affiliation of our programs to the College.”
He explained that “with the signing of this Memorandum of Agreement today, the remaining 16 Orphans from the pioneer set will join 6 other Orphans already in JSS 2, thus bringing the total number of orphans pursuing their Basic education program at El Kanemi College to 22. The Ya Zara Foundation under which. auspices this sponsorship is being undertaken will pay almost N50 million up to the end of their Senior Secondary education. Furthermore, another female Orphan, Fatima Mohammed Abubakar is being sponsored to continue her education at Mori Memorial School in Potiskum. Regrettably, we lost one of the female orphans, Aisha Adamu Bawa while another male Orphan could not continue as a boarding student and withdrew to continue staying with his guardians”.
“I am glad to report that the process for the admission of the second set of 25 orphans has been completed and we welcome them into the Orphanage Home to continue their life. This foundation will continue to explore ways to sustain this free care home and the services being rendered to the inmates. In this regard, plans are underway to construct shops and donate them as endowments to generate revenue for the Orphanage Home. Like I indicated during the opening of the home five years ago, this service in the way of Allah is open to the entire community so that collectively we can provide the enabling environment to these orphans to realize their full potentials and grow up to give back to society”.
“Distinguished Invited Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Foundation also deemed it appropriate to provide a mosque where the orphans and their surrounding community will make us of”.