The United Nations Education Fund (UNICEF), Penlight Centre, various individuals and groups have intervened in the case of 11-yr-old physically disabled and orphan Fatima Yushau, who crawls to her primary school under harsh conditions, after Arewa Agenda’s report.

These interventions include cash donations, books, bags, clothing and eight wheelchairs, are guaranteed to take care of her immediate needs and sponsor her education up till University level.

The Headmaster at DanShayi Primary School in Rimin Gardo Local Government of Kano State, where the girl schooled expressed delight at how Arewa Agenda’s report impacted Fatima’s life and secured her future despite her disability.

“The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) sent its officials to confirm the story and access the girl towards their own intervention. We are incredibly happy about what is happening to her life right now,” he told Arewa Agenda.

A special fundraiser to support Fatima’s life pursuit was raised by the Penlight Centre, led by the Editor in Chief of Daily Nigerian, Jaafar Jaafar in collaboration with the Arewa Agenda for sustainable development team.

While assuring that a comprehensive list of the donors and amounts donated will soon be published, Jaafar Jaafar disclosed that the funds raised would be utilised for the benefit of the girl’s education and welfare up to university level. He added that the Penlight Centre is currently making arrangements to bring her to a specialist health centre for proper medical examination and possible acquisition of a walking aid for her.

“With over eight hundred thousand naira realized since we started the fundraiser, we are going to apportion the money in such a way that we can take care of her immediate needs in terms of feeding, health clothing and shelter.

“We are also mulling empowerment for her grandmother such that they can have sustained income in the family, and we will employ a special lesson teacher on a monthly stipend to coach her for a given contract period which we will constantly appraise and some of the funds will also go into her tuition and exam fees through all levels of her education up to the university,” Mr. Jaafar explained.

Reacting to the development, Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba, founder, Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) and the Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR), whose grant led the Arewa Agenda team into the investigation that discovered Fatima, expressed delight that a single story led to a very impactful outcome.

“This is great news, and we are glad to see how one story from Arewa Agenda team for sustainable development sparked up unprecedented goodwill and support to education and health,” he said.

While calling on Journalists to make concerted efforts towards this style of development Journalism, Dr. Magashi also appealed to relevant stakeholders and organizations to always provide support that will enable journalists perform optimally.

The Convener/Managing Editor, Arewa Agenda for sustainable development, Mohammad Dahiru Lawal, expressed happiness that the platforms story did not only bring Fatima’s plight to the fore, but it sparked a chain of goodwill reaction from prominent and well-meaning Nigerians.

“These interventions will not only secure her future but also benefit others with similar situation within the community and we are working closely with the Penlight Centre led by sir Jaafar Jaafar and my mentor Alhaji Yushau Shuaib to achieve this. I hope this will also inspire others to make support for disabled people around them in one way or the other, a priority. As a development-oriented media action platform, we are open to partnerships from interested parties towards these goals,” he said.

Pending publication of the full list of donors, among the early responders are Beautiful Gates Handicapped People Centre, Kabiru Alhaji Haruna Gimba of Ajaokuta Steel Company, Hajiya Hadiza Umar of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Ibrahim Sunusi Ismail, Modu Kachalla Bole and Jibril Mahmud.

Others are Hajiya Madina and friends, Garba Mohammad Sadiq, Abdullahi Aminu Mudi, Moses Ebe, Mohammad Aminu Mohammad to mention a few of the donors.

Recall that Arewa Agenda had reported that an 11-yr-old physically disabled Class-two pupil, Fatima Yusha’u, of Dan Shayi Primary School, in Rimin-Gado local government area in Kano State, crawls to school defying harsh conditions including the scorching sun due to her passion for education. (PRNigeria)

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