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Muslims with disabilities get empowerment fund

By Shakirah Adunola
26 January 2018   |   3:01 am
Some Muslims living with disabilities have benefited from the kind gesture offered by the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Civil Service Disabilities, Alhaji AbdulRauf Oladimeji Iliasu, to support them in the quest for survival. Specifically, Iliasu, empowers 10 disables Muslims with the sum of N100,000 each to boost their businesses while those with health…

Some Muslims living with disabilities have benefited from the kind gesture offered by the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Civil Service Disabilities, Alhaji AbdulRauf Oladimeji Iliasu, to support them in the quest for survival.

Specifically, Iliasu, empowers 10 disables Muslims with the sum of N100,000 each to boost their businesses while those with health challenges were referred to affiliated hospitals.

Illiasu noted that people with physical challenges are usually relegated to the background in the society.

He said: “The humiliation and stigmatization against them are well pronounced in some communities with different settlement are carved for them at outskirts of towns just to ensure that they do not mingle with other people in the society. There were instances where physically challenged people committed suicides simply because they are treated with disdain in the society,”

A beneficiary of the financial empowerment, Salisu Bako a lame man narrated his ordeal. He said life was like hell to him in the past. He was like in asylum in his hometown, a personal non-gratis in his community and object of ridicule in his family simply because polio deprived him from working normally like others. Despite my good command of English and commendable credentials, employers of labours seldom invite me for job interview but due to my challenges I was always denied employment that led me to the street as a beggar.

He thanked the donor unprecedented tenacity of purpose in caring for the needy especially people with physical challenges in reshaping the perception of people.

“My urge to die was replaced by the zeal to live; the inferiority instinct disappeared for the courage to succeed his story changed when destiny took me to Alhaji AbdulRauf Iliasu,” he said.

He promised to use the empowerment fund judiciously for business. “I will resist the temptation to use the empowerment fund for other things except the Shoemaking business it was meant for. I will be able to meet demands of my various customers in Garki Abuja who were ready to buy and pay for services but not ready to deposit money for non-available products”.

He urged the government to discourage the acts of begging for livelihood among the physically challenged people.

“Disables should be encourage, because life does not give you what you deserve but what you demand. The kind hearted are expected to cater for the less privileged but the act of giving is a grace bestow on few creations by the Creator. Some may have wealth in opulence but lack the grace to give to the needy in their communities”.

Another beneficiary, Mallam Kabiru, offered prayers in English, Hausa, Yoruba and Arabic fluently. He prayed to Almighty Allah to enrich Nigeria with kindhearted leaders like Alhaji AbdulRauf Iliasu who is daily giving hopes to the hopeless, reaching out to the unreached in the society.

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