NGO Empowers 6,300 Widows, Orphans

Support for Widows,
Orphans and Tsangaya Pupils (SWOT), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), says it has empowered 6,300 beneficiaries in Borno State.
The NGO, a pet project of the wife of the state governor, Hajiya Nana Shettima, was established in July 2011.
The Chairman of the foundation, Alhaji Mohammad Bello, said this in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri recently.
Bello explained that the foundation was aimed at assisting the less privileged and the vulnerable members of the society, including widows and orphans.
“So far we have assisted about 6,300 persons, comprising women who lost their husbands due to the Boko Haram insurgency in the state.
“We have also assisted children who were orphaned by the insurgency as well as the Tsangaya pupils popularly called the Almajiris,” he said.
Bello said some of the beneficiaries were trained in different trades before they were provided with equipment like sewing, spaghetti and knitting machines to make them self reliant.
He said, others were provided with cash, clothing, livestock or foodstuff especially during Sallah, Christmas and other festivities to enable them to celebrate like other members of the society.
Bello explained that the foundation would not die prematurely since it was a personal one.
“I do not believe that the foundation will die like others at the end of the tenure of the administration.
“This is mainly because everything about the foundation is personal; it does not have much to do with government.”