NewsRescue
In keeping with our now yearly Eid celebration party tradition, ENDS socio-philantropic group threw Eid Sallah parties for 200 Almajiri in Kano and 230 Almajiri and IDP children in Borno state.
Aided by donations of $130 raised on our GoFundMe Feed an Almajiri page (https://www.gofundme.com/feed-an-almajiri-abandoned-child), a total budget of N145,000 was used for the 2018 Sallah fest.
Coordinating the distribution were ENDS president Ahmed Aliko in Kano and Ali Usman Garga in Borno. Their report is summarized below:
We had a successful Sallah with Almajiri in Kano. We visited three different schools.
“We had some problems getting the teachers to keep the boys after the rain. As the schools we ve arranged with find it difficult to keep to their words after the rain.
“We prepared 200 packs of rice and drinks. We had no help in distribution. There were only two of us.
“In one of the schools the teacher invited his friends and family without a single Almajiri. That’s after we explained everything to him the day before the event. When we asked why there were no boys he simply answered. They are not important but if we insist we should give him that of the boys and he will do it when the boys come back. We moved to look for a different school which we did.
“The teachers wanted us to hand over everything to them. Our refusal became a problem. We know very well the Almajiri boys will be out of the equation should we do that.
“I would admit this is about the toughest event I’ve had with the Almajiri (Mallams) teachers. The boys are supposed to be busy during this season.
“Despite the difficulties we were able to complete the task. We had little help.”
Ali Usman adds: “We also had the same activity in Maiduguri, where 230 almajiries benefited in Sulaimanti Damboa road.”
We thank all our donors including Dr Abdul Khan from the USA, Stephanie Dirani and Erin Fine.
We encourage all Nigerians to #StandForAlmajiri and join the AlmajiriProject.com campaign to end the Almajiri child abandonment aberration which has subjected 10 million innocent kids to this dishonorable life of destitution and begging. A cultural error with no religious basis that is found only in West Africa.
Join us in feeding and caring for Almajiri kids while calling on Nigeria’s lawmakers to protect the rights of the child and ban Almajiri child abandonment once and for all. Every child has the right to a family.
ENDS.ng: info@ENDS.ng; Whatsapp: +234-903-420-3031; +1-929-427-5305; @EveryNigerian
