Zakat foundation distributes N15m to Osun indigents 

An Islamic Non-Governmental Organisation, Zakat and Sadaqah Foundation, has distributed N15,745,000 to the needy indigenes of Osun state with a view to alleviating poverty in the state.
ZSF is a non-profit, charitable organization that specialises in collecting and administering Zakat and Sadaqah (compulsory and voluntary Islamic alms giving) from the rich for onward distribution to the poor in line with Islamic injunction.
The Executive Director of ZSF, Prince Sulayman Olagunju, explained that 163 indigenes of Osun state benefited from the disbursement of N15,745,000.
He said N7,650,000.00 was allotted to community projects while N3,085,000 was spent on economic empowerment of individuals. N680,000 was set aside for institutional support, N500,000 was released for debt relief, N345,000 for education support, while N230,000 was to support orphans, N560,000 was allocated for welfare support.
“The foundation also renovated the Obada Maternity Center in Ede South and provided water resources to Temidire Arulogun community, among others.
While appreciating those who have been partnering with the foundation to enable it provide for the indigents, Olagunju implored Muslims across the country to assist in helping the less privileged in their own little way by donating to the ZSF.
In his lecture, the guest speaker, Dr. Abdullah Uthman Ayolo, urged Nigerians to embrace the use of charity as a veritable means of eradicating poverty and liberate the less privileged from the menace of poverty.
Ayolo is the Mudir (Director) of Offa Islamic Foundation. He posited that giving of Zakat is sacrosanct in Islam and urged well-to-do Nigerians, particularly the Muslims to always give Zakat from their wealth, once it reaches the measure.
He also advised Muslims who cannot give Zakat yet to at least give Sadaqah (voluntary charity) to the less privileged, especially within families and friends, stressing that Allah shall surely reward everyone for his or her good deed, both in this world and the Hereafter.
The State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, urged well meaning individuals, cooperate bodies and other NGOs to emulate ZSF by partnering with the government to banish poverty from the society.
Engineer Bashir Lawal who represented the Governor said societal development should not be seen as the sole responsibility of the government.
“Poverty alleviation or eradication should not be abandoned to the government alone. ZSF must be commended for its persistence in good work, particularly in the renovation of government hospitals, provision of essential materials, drilling of boreholes to communities and empowerment of the downtrodden. The good job has continued despite government minimal encouragement due to economic downturn.
“It is our hope that government shall surely reciprocate the good gesture of the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation in the state of Osun in the very near future,” he said
Two of the beneficiaries of the programme, a tailor, who is a widow, Waliyat Abdulrasaq and a trader, Nafisat Wahab, commended the organisers of the programme and prayed that God would reward them accordingly.

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