Foundation distributes zakats worth N12m in Osun

It was a joyous and memorable day for some hundred less privileged individuals and communities in Osun State as Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, a faith based philanthropic organisation empower them with life touching income generating items.

“This is very uncommon in this environment. It is indeed worthy of emulation. “The computer system will bring sanity and confidentiality to our administrative and record keeping system rather than what is obtainable in the past when our documents are typed outside the hospital premises.

Some communities in Ede, where the zakat distribution took place, also benefited with donation of motorised boreholes to provide the community with potable water. History was made on Sunday in the South Western town of Ede when about a hundred less privileged individuals and communities got empowered with over 12 million Naira by the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation.

At its  Zakat Distribution ceremony in Osun State, the faith based NGO distributed  income generating tools like motorcycles, tricycles, refrigerators, grinding machines to the less privileged. It also paid medical bills of some patients and gave various sums of money, in cheques, to aspiring entrepreneurs.

At the State Hospital, Ede, the foundation donated dozens of modern steel chairs to the out patients and furniture for the welfare of the staffers. Other items donated included medical facilities and a power generating set for the theatre operations and a set of computer and a printer.

The Chief Medical Director, Dr Adejumo Oluwole and Chief Nursing Officer thanked the foundation for uncommon humanitarian services.

They also called on other public spirited people to emulate Z&S Foundation by investing in the health sector, since government alone could not provide everything.

“This is indeed marvelous,” Oluwole said. A retinue of guests and eminent personalities moved to other locations in Ede to commission three borehole projects at Wakajaye and Obada Communities as well as the Oke-Gada Primary Health Care Centre.

Former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adejare Bello, commissioning the boreholes. He urged wealthy individuals to support Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation to do more just as they urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the opportunities.

“I want the members of the public to emulate this gesture of Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, to alleviate the sufferings of the masses with a view to banishing poverty from the society. “We should also try to bridge gaps between the rich and the poor so that everyone will benefit from the common wealth.

“To the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, I urge you to take this message of hope to all the 36 states of the federation to reduce the crime rate through entrepreneurial drive. “Once the poor is provided with basic necessities of live, they won’t take to crimes,” Adejare said.

The Executive Director, ZSF, Prince Sulaimon Olagunju, said the foundation shortlisted less than 100 beneficiaries out of over 200 applicants. He said that that the foundation would do more if it was further encouraged by the public.

He said everybody can contribute. “It is not only the rich that can contribute to the foundation. If you are not rich enough to the pay annual due of Zakat, you can pay Sadaqat (alms and charity).

“You can contribute as low as N100 monthly. You can donate used clothes, furniture and other items. “To you, it may be small but it goes a long way to alleviate poverty,’ Olagunju said.

The Head, Field Operations of the ‘foundation in the state, Mallam Moshood Olaoye, expressed happiness at the response of some wealthy indigenes of the state for making it possible for the foundation to execute its mandate.

He said the programme was aimed at empowering the less privileged, support widows and orphans, people living with disabilities and  poor students among others.

“It is also to complement the policy of government on poverty alleviation and economic empowerment of women, youths and the less-privileged under the Public-Faith-Participation (PFP) scheme,” he said.

Matron Leah Oyeronke, who responded on behalf of Oke Gada Health Care Center and the Chairman of the community, Alhaji Mahmud Adesola, described the gesture as commendable and worthy of emulation, particularly coming at the inception of the dry session.

Other guests at the occasion included Dr Muslim Omoleke, the Administrative Secretary of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ekiti State and Alhaja F.F. Adeniyi, the Director of Academics, MOLEK Group of School among others.

The Grand Imam of Ede, Sheikh Mas’ud Oseni Akajewole also led other Islamic scholars to grace the ocassion. Akajewole thanked the foundation for reviving and upholding the almost a forgotten pillar of Islam. From Yinka Salaam, Osogbo

Yinka Salaam (The Renaissance News)