A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Almajiri Support Initiative, operating in Kebbi State under the chairmanship of Alhaji Shehu Umar has said that it has trained no fewer than 200 orphans and 300 needy widows and divorcees in its routine free training in Birnin Kebbi.
According to him, the deaf and dumbs are among those who received training on hand trades like tailoring, knitting and pomade making for the ladies, while the physically challenged and the able Almajiris among them learned trades like welding, shoe manufacturing, tailoring and driving among others.
He added that the centre under the Almajiri support initiative also has an adult literacy class with at least sixteen adults from both genders attending free literacy classes, one of the class instructors Hajia Saudat Abdullahi who lamented low patronage despite being free, noted that the free literacy class knows no tribe and religion everyone is welcome.
She, however, decried acute financial assistance from well to do individuals she appeal to members of the public to come to the aid of the centre as they lack materials in all the sections of the centre noting that the lack of funds needed to give empowerment to the trained orphans, widows, divorcees, Almajiris and the physically challenged is delaying the graduation.
She appealed to the government, traditional rulers and public servants to assist the centre to graduate the trained persons whom she believes will impact the society positively saying even now those earlier empowered are employers of labour in their area of focus.
In addition to what the Almajiri initiative is doing to discourage street begging the centre gives one daily meal to each Almajiri because that is the only one it can afford ” more hands are required to completely stop Almajiri begging system, you cant him when you cannot give him three square meals the founder has said.