As part of its contribution towards cushioning the effects of the hardship faced by poor and vulnerable households in Niger State, Aliko Dangote Foundation has shared about 30,000 bags of 10kg rice to vulnerable families in the state.
The state coordinator of the Arewa Development Support Initiative (ADSI), Hajiya Halima U. Ndanusa disclosed this while flagging off the distribution of the Chanchaga local government council’s share of the bags of rice in Minna, the state capital on Saturday.
She explained that ADSI is a non-tribal, non-religious and non-political organization that is into humanitarian services across the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Ndanusa added that the Aliko Dangote Foundation found them worthy of coordinating the distribution of the rice in Niger state with the support of some other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), disclosing that they had already covered 23 local governments in the state.
She observed that people are hungry due to the economic situation in the country and Aliko Dangote Foundation felt it should contribute its quota towards reducing the hardship in this manner, since the most basic need of an average Nigerian today is food, hence the gesture.
Ndanusa also appreciated the Aliko Dangote Foundation for the noble gesture and for finding her organization, ADSI worthy to handle the distribution of the rice to vulnerable families, praying to Allah (SWT) to continue to bless and strengthen the foundation for more humanitarian gestures like this.
She, however, urged those saddled with the responsibility of distributing the commodity to the targeted beneficiaries to do it with the fear of God and ensure that those given the rice were the people who needed it the most.
“The rice is not for everybody, it is for the vulnerable families, those who cannot afford it. Even though I know that everybody in Nigeria today needs it, it’s for the poorest among the poor,” she explained.
Maryam Kolo, who is the permanent member III in the Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB) and a critical stakeholder in Chanchaga local government area, received and coordinated the distribution of the commodity for her local government, and appreciated the Aliko Dangote Foundation and ADSI for the gift.
She observed that the rice would go a long way in cushioning the effect of the hardship faced by the poor and vulnerable households in terms of feeding, and assured the foundation that the items would only be given to those who actually needed it.
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