For Amina Olufunmi, life was almost meaningless. She barely could earn a decent living from the different menial jobs she was doing including helping to clean people’s apartments. But all that has changed now courtesy of the support she got from well meaning Nigerians who helped her to acquire a skill, fashion designing, and the appropriate equipment needed to function.
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It was not that Amina was lazy because before now, she had learnt the rudiments of trading plumbing materials. The lack of capital to set up a trading store hampered her.

However, her story began to take a new turn as she got referrals for her diligent cleaning of people’s homes. One of such referrals brought her in contact with Mrs. Funke Olaode, a journalist with ThisDay Newspaper.

Her commitment and passion she often deployed in her daily job of cleaning her apartment and the tasks assigned her aroused the curiosity of Olaode to know more about this fragile, but very studious lady.

“But at some point, I had to ask more about her, especially her background, then she told me her story, which showed she needed help.”

Olaode was moved by her story to reach out to a number of persons she felt could help Amina.
Olaode said: “I approached former Managing Director of Accenture and current Chairman of Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr. Niyi Yusuf, who advised she should acquire a skill, which made her enrolled for a fashion designing class.

“And through the help of the Ibeji Foundation and its founder, Alhaji Rafiu Adisa Ebiti, within two days, she was enrolled in a fashion school and placed on monthly stipends of N20,000.
“The Ibeji Foundation also paid for her accommodation as well as a sewing machine and other sewing materials needed for her training.
“Alhaji Ebiti, apart from sponsoring her two and half years of training, paid N300,000 for her to rent a shop, while the CEO of Caverton Offshore Support Group, Mr. Olabode Makanjuola through his company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) supported her generously.
“So, I want to thank Mr. Niyi Yusuf, Alhaji Ebiti, Mr Olabode Makanjuola, for all their interventions on Amina.
“I also thank her boss, Madam Hanna Makanjuola, CEO of Hanna Tee Unisex Fashion Designer, for training her like a big sister and never getting tired of her. I am grateful.”

Commenting on the intervention for Amina, Mr. Niyi Yusuf, who is also the NASFAT President, said Olaode’s action is a big lesson to everyone that helping people in need should not be limited to one’s family members or friends.

“For me, I just thought that it was intriguing to see Funke take on such an assignment that no one has given her. That was the main thing that struck me.”

Yusuf, who facilitated Amina getting more through NASFAT agency for Zakat and Sadaqat (NAZAS), said: “She filled the request form, listing the things she wanted. She was interviewed, her background was checked, and NAZAS felt it was a credible request. So, NAZAS went to the market to buy the equipment which was handed over to her.

Yusuf disclosed that the support for Amina by NAZAS is not a one off exercise as the NASFAT agency has spent over half a billion naira in the last seven years supporting the needy, both Muslims and non-Muslims.

“My advice to Amina is that she should use the equipment for the purpose for which they were procured. As you know, she has undergone training, which is important, which means she has a skill now and can use the equipment.
“Secondly, I’ll advise her to help others, just as she has been helped. Not necessarily her family, she must help others to the limit of her ability.
“Lastly, she must put all her talents to use, including seeking assistance from Olaode and many others so that she can quickly grow her business.”

Also, the General Manager of NAZAS, Mufutau Adelotan, said that NAZAS, which is an offshoot of the NASFAT group worldwide, was set up in 2014.

Adelotan added: “In NAZAS, we don’t have to know you. We approach Muslims anywhere they are and get donations from Muslims all over the world without them meeting us in person.
“I must tell you, in her case, somebody paid for all this equipment being giving to her, which cost over N500,000. The person said he wanted to remain anonymous.
“The way we run is, a would-be beneficiary would fill a form and a standing technical committee will assess the form and interview the person. And once the committee finds the request genuine, they make recommend.”
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“Today, she is benefitting in two different ways from our scheme. She is benefiting from the empowerment scheme, in which we are giving her equipment to support her training, which is fashion design.
“She is also benefiting from the Train to Fund scheme.  This one, we brought it up two years ago after discovering that some people we empower sometimes abandon the equipment after a while or sell it off, and keep begging again.”

Speaking on behalf of Ibeji Foundation and its Founder, Alhaji Rafiu Ebiti, General Manager of the foundation, Rafiat Gbadamosi said: “After hearing her story about three years ago, we started paying her monthly stipends, enrolled her to learn a skill, housed her, and got her a shop where she could start making ends meet.

“Amina’s case is exceptional. She is like a project to us. We are so interested and invested in her, and we would not leave her to dry even though she can stand on her own now.
“This is what the Ibeji Foundation is all about. We are very passionate about humanity and helping the needy. It is not just about giving one money, but real empowerment.
“With the training Amina has received, we are certain that she can also empower others just as she has been empowered.”

On his part, the CEO of Caverton Offshore Support Group, Mr. Olabode Makanjuola, said Amina’s intervention was a testament to the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
“When my dear sister, Olaode approached me about this young lady and what she was trying to achieve, we just thought of yielding to our CSR initiatives.
“Education is very key and very important to the development of any society. And we see the ability of people who get educated and want to go into any form of employment, be it vocational or corporate. We just support them.
“We are happy to do our little bit and contribute our CSR to the development of Amina, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavours. God bless all those who contributed to making this a success.”

Expressing her gratitude to all those who came to her aid, Amina said: “I feel elated and excited because dreams come through. It has been a long journey to career attainment because it has been very difficult for me.

“I finished secondary school in 2009. I got trained through apprenticeship with a building-materials merchant at Ijanikin, Lagos State between 2010 and 2012, but my parents were financially handicapped after graduation to set up a shop for me. In the bid to raise funds for startup, I did menial jobs including serving as a maid at a restaurant in Oyo town.
“My financial woes persisted until I met a destiny helper in Olaode. It was her friend, Mrs. Biola Omosebi who introduced me to her in February 2021. She was touched by my predicament and promised to do something.

“She did. And today from doing menial jobs, I am now a fashion entrepreneur. I want to seize this opportunity to thank the Chairman of lbeji Foundation, Alhaji Rafiu Ebiti whom I only met once and acted as a father till I graduated.
“Apart from paying for my accommodation, the foundation has been giving me a monthly stipend for upkeep since 2021 till I graduated. Ibeji Foundation also paid over N300,000 to get me a shop.

“The President of NASFAT Alhaji Niyi Yusuf was kind and generous. And through NAZAS, I was provided with all the vocational tools needed to take off. Mr. Olabode Makanjuola, CEO of Caverton Offshore Support Group, who I never met, paid for my graduation and refreshment of N200,000.

“Through Olaode, my life has taken a positive new turn and God will bless all those who have supported me to become somebody in life, when all hope was lost. I promised to make an impact in the Nigerian fashion space through the help of God, so that I can give back.”
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