The seven Rotary Clubs in Kaduna have donated 70 wheelchairs of various sizes to polio victims and other people with disability to ease their movement to school and their various places of work.
The Rotary Clubs of Kaduna, Kaduna Metropolis, Barnawa, Kawo, Kakuri, Malali and Gonin Gora made the donation to men, women and children of both sexes, who are in dire need of the assistance for their mobility, from the 23 local government areas of the state under the Keep Polio at Zero Tolerance programme.
Making the presentation at Government Day Secondary School, Kakuri, Kaduna, the Assistant Zonal Coordinator, Zone 3, Rotarian Oludare Odele, said it was a challenge to Rotary Clubs as a humanitarian organisation to see children and adults of different age groups waiting to get wheelchairs to ease their mobility.
He said, “We are giving our support to the less privilege. I encourage our presidents to partner with the state government in the near future.”
The Field Coordinator for Rotary International, Rotarian Grace Sadiku, tasked the beneficiaries not to sell the wheelchairs, not to use it for street begging and not to remove the sticker attached to it for identification.
“Use the wheelchair to go to school, use it to engage in selling of wares and engaging in other profitable trade that would benefit you and your family. Encourage your children to take vaccines for polio and other diseases,” he said.
For President of Rotary Club of Kawo, Rotarian Mujidat Shade Lawal, the idea was borne out of Rotary’s zeal to support polio eradication in Nigeria and Africa.
He said, “We are donating 70 wheelchairs to those that need it. We came up with the idea to give out to help those with deformations. The beneficiaries were randomly picked from across the 23 local government areas.”
According to President of Rotary Club Kaduna, Rotarian Joyceline Anagende, one of the aims of the presentation was to drive Rotary Club to the consciousness of the people.
One of the beneficiaries, Malam Haruna Bako, a Birnin Gwari-based welder, who is married with two children, said that the wheelchair will ease his mobility. “I’m very happy and grateful to Rotary Club for the gift. I have been living with this disability since I grew up but I was able to learn welding at a skill acquisition programme. My former wheelchair got spoilt but now I can replace it with this.”
Phoebe Favour Francis a student of Leisure and Tourism Management, Kaduna Polytechnic was very happy to receive her wheelchair. Phoebe, who lives in Kudenda, Chikun local government area, said, “I grew up with the challenge. I was using my former wheelchair which was old but since I lost my dad, I couldn’t change it, movement was difficult for me and my arms used to ache.
“At times I do miss lecture, but now I would be able to move around easily from hostel to class and my hand will no longer ache. I’m saying a big thank you to Rotary Club may God bless them. I’m not taking this gift for granted. Government should help us in terms of job opportunities as many of us are discriminated against when it comes to issue of job.”
