By Jutha Gupah Maiduguri
The Future Prowess Islamic Foundation has enrolled 600 orphans and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) for their education and livelihoods programmes in Borno state. Flagging off the distribution of education materials on Sunday in Maiduguri, Director of Foundation, Zannah Mustapha disclosed that more victims of Boko Haram insurgency continue to troop for education and livelihood programmes to survive. According to him, the 36 pupils enrolled in 2007 are currently enrolled into tertiary institutions within and outside the country. He said the Foundation began to attract national and international attention and support from Stakeholders. He said the aftermath of Boko Haram insurgency, which is still and challenge, has overstretched Foundation’s bounds by enlarging its mandates. His words: “Today we have expanded our mandate to include livelihood programmes for widows and some selected pupils in both the Future Prowess One and the New Future Prowess in Fori ward. “In the ward, we have trained over 300 widows in various skills, including tailoring, bag and shoe making, knitting, cosmetology, confectionery, beads making, computer science and Agro-Allied Industries. “The support came from UNHCR, ICRC, NRC, FAO, BOASAP Fadama III and the PCNI. He also solicited for support from Governor Kashim Shettima for a Mega Entrepreneurship Development Centres (ENDC) to recruit and train 5,000 entrepreneurs. The UNHCR Acting Head of Sub Office Maiduguri, Quang Bui also yesterday said: “It is our mandate to provide protection and assistance to IDPs and refugees in Nigeria. He said that education is very essential, particularly with the children and make sure that education is provided on an equal basis of all boys and girls. He said other intervention and assistance, include a large budget to address the problems of IDPs, including the education of over 52, 000 orphans in Borno state. According to him, the UN agency is a relief and protection agency that works with a number of other UN agencies. He said the agencies include UNFPA, UNICEF and WFP. He however noted that his first impression when he came to Nigeria this month was that the people are polite. Bui said: “I first thought that Abuja was a hotel. I have to learn from the people to be more polite, before coming to Maiduguri to head the agency’s Sub-Office. “The people are polite, courteous and highly educated, including some of the drivers in the office. Governor Shettima said that the quest for education is not an issue that should be left to government alone. Shettima who was represented by the commissioner of education, Inuwa Kubo said that government has built four mega schools in Maiduguri metropolis to educate the orphans. He called on well to do individuals, philanthropist organisations, national and international donor agencies to assist the state government educate victims of insurgency that has claimed many lives and property.
