No fewer that 5,000 indigenes of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Saturday, benefitted from a non-governental organisation (NGO), Bruderhilfe Initiative’s empowerment programme.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the indigenes, including children, youths, women, nursing mothers, the elderly and physically-challenged in Igbokoda, Ode-Ugbo, Ugbonla and Ode-Mahin, benefited from the empowerment.
NAN also reports that children diapers, bags, toys, textbooks, women’s bags, clothes, wheel chairs, walking sticks and health kits were part of the items distributed.
Founder of the NGO, Mrs Mary Oluwagbamigbe-Bruder, said that the initiative was aimed at giving back to the society.
Olowagbamigbe-Bruder said that it was also borne out of the passion to alleviate the sufferings of the less-privileged in the society.
She said that the NGO was established in 2019 to bring succour to the masses.
According to her, the group now has presence in eight states, including Borno, Bauchi, Sokoto, Katsina, Niger, Lagos, Osun and Ondo.
Olowagbamigbe-Bruder urged the beneficiaries not to give up on their situations, saying that government would soon look into their cases.
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She also urged state governments to partner more with NGOs, saying that they were closer to them and passionate about their welfare and wellbeing.
“NGOs know the feelings of the masses better and they are in the right position to reach out to them in form of support and empowerment.
“We are aware of the fact that government cannot do everything and that is why we are giving supporting in this regard.
“Most of the things we brought here were shipped into the country, with lots of logistics incurred in the process.
“We, therefore, urge the government to assist us in this area, for us to be able to reach out to more people.
“We also embarked on a programme, “Kara-Kata” (buying and selling) through which we give N50,000 interest-free loan to each of our market women and many of them have already benefitted from this scheme,” she said.
Olowagbamigbe-Bruder also appealed to kind-hearted individuals in the area to support the NGO in its bid to increase the free loans to N100,000 or more.
“In terms of security, I am pleased to say that our security is not as worse and porous as the information we get overseas.
“I commend the police and Amotekun for giving us tight security,” Oluwabamigbe-Bruder said.
Mr Segun Oripenaye, a beneficiary of a walking stick, commended the NGO for its passion for human development, urging others to emulate it.
The Matron of Ode-Mahin Health Centre, Mrs Rose Ikujamoye, also thanked the NGO for the gesture, saying the donation of several drugs and health equipment to the health centre was a welcome development.
She promised that the health centre would make judicious use of the items.
The three-day programme, which began on Thursday at Ugbonla, ended at Ode-Mahin on Saturday.
