SDGs: Foundation empowers 54 artisans, traders in Abuja

The Jaiz Development and Charitable Foundation (JCDF) has provided loans to 54 people in the Jahi community in the Federal Capital Territory to enable them to run their businesses.

The Foundation’s chief executive officer (CEO), Dr. Abdullahi Shuaib, made it known at the launch of the Micro-Fice loan disbursement plan on Thursday in Abuja.

According to Shuaib, the gesture is to support the Federal Government’s movement to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 and 2 aimed at ending poverty and hunger, respectively.

He said that the foundation, in its goal of improving the quality of life and providing timely support for socioeconomic development through direct and indirect interventions, had traveled the country to empower people.

He said the foundation had covered 20 states so far, including all South-South states except Delta and Akwa Ibom, in hopes of going there soon.

“This is one of the foundation’s mandates regarding the fictitious inclusion of the most vulnerable people, which is why we are here today as a foundation to fulfill the promise we made to them a couple of months ago.

“What we are doing may seem small to some people, but from our fieldwork experience, it is very significant because these groups of people are the creators of wealth, the little things they do to make ends meet need support.

“We once gave an uncaught woman in our program N3,000 out of our pockets out of pity; but the following year she tracked us back to our show and gave us 70,000 as her support, saying she used the money we gave her to do pancake business (Dough).

“If she could part with N70,000, it meant she had more, so this strengthened our commitment that this little money that we are giving; If people use them judiciously, it could change their lives, ” he said.

Shuib said other opportunities were on the way for beneficiaries if they used the money wisely and were successful in their businesses.

He said the selection criteria was very simple because it was done in collaboration with community leaders who knew their people best and chose those who are struggling to make ends meet.

He said 150 people were identified, but then 54 were screened, adding that they cross tribes and religions because the foundation does not discriminate.

In his comments, Alhaji Adamu Dogo, the community leader, praised the gesture and urged the beneficiaries to ensure the effective use of the money given to them.

“I pray that God bless and help the administration of the foundation.”

One beneficiary, Mr. Adamu Yunusa, thanked the foundation for helping him, promising to put the money to good use and engage in productive activities.

Another recipient, Grace Enwerem, expressed her joy at being selected to benefit from the program and promised to be committed to her business out of gratitude.

Source: NAN