No fewer than 80 physically challenged persons were rewarded with free wheel chairs by the wife of the governor of Anambra State, Chief Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano, as part of her commitment to the empowerment and welfare of the less privileged persons in the society.

Making the presentation at the Governor’s Lodge Amawbia, which coincided with her birthday which she celebrated with the physically-challenged persons, the governor’s wife disclosed that her mission in the State is to use her NGO-Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ) which embraces all members of the family, “to identify the challenges facing the less privileged ones, and facilitate ways and means to bring succor and improve their lots.”

According to Chief Mrs. Obiano, there is a reason why some children of God turn-out physically challenged in their present conditions, “There is something God wants you and I to do in such a challenging situation. I don’t believe anybody is handicapped, because it means the person is worthless; I see it that you only have challenges,” the Governor’s wife said.

Mrs. Obiano noted that as a creation of God, her mission on earth is to help mankind, facilitate the empowerment of the needy as well as provide them with skills and resources, while recalling how the horizon of her passion for charity has been expanded since becoming the wife of the governor.

“My mission on earth is to help mankind….When my husband became governor, I bought the idea of starting a pet project, but objected to limiting the focus area to just one intervention area. I decided to delve into many focus areas to enable me touch many people with diverse needs. I was a Marriage Counselor for 15 years and since 1991, I promised our Mother Mary and our Lord Jesus that I am going to champion the cause of the less privileged ones in our society.”

She stated that she had to come to the level of the less privileged ones in order to appreciate their difficulties, stressing that she will continue to touch lives meaningfully, no matter the odds.

“I’ll continue to touch lives. That is what gives me joy. That is why I walk tall. People wonder why I am always happy and glow? What is making me happy, and glow is because I am touching lives. I want to make people happy. I don’t see anything that is self-fulfilling than making people happy. “

Chief Mrs. Obiano noted that she does not have budget for her pet projects but depends on the assistance and support of philanthropists and illustrious sons of Anambra like Prince Engr. Arthur Eze, and many individuals and corporate bodies. She thanked praised donors to CAFÉ for their wonderful support each time she reaches out to them, especially Grace Project International and Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for supporting the wheel chair initiative.

Furthermore, Mrs. Obiano reassured the physically challenged persons and indigents ones of more capacity building trainings and educational opportunities to open ways of job opportunities for them and advised them to use the wheel chairs for the purpose they are meant for, warning that they should not use same to beg, as according to her, “begging is degrading.”

In a vote of thanks, the President of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, (JNAPWD), Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke appreciated the governor’s wife for her endless streams of empowerment programmes beneficial to the physically challenged persons since the inception of the Chief Willie Obiano administration, recalling that in about one year plus in office, she has facilitated the establishment of three Rehabilitation centres well accessible to disabled persons in the three senatorial zones of Anambra Central (Oba), Anambra North (Aguleri) and Anambra South (Nawfija).

Comrade Okeke further thanked the focal person of CAFÉ for providing about 500 physically challenged persons with artificial limbs, citing a case of a beneficiary, one Sunday from Inoma from Anambra West LGA whose relatives could not identify after he was fitted with the artificial limb.

He lauded the First Lady for facilitating the establishment of a training centre for less privileged persons at Aguleri, where they were taught on how to repair telephones, stressing that the empowerment programme is a source of livelihood for the trainees.

The President, however, urged the wife of the governor to assist the physically challenged persons especially the graduates among them to secure more jobs in the State.

Among the beneficiaries selected from the 21 local government areas of the State are Uju Okafor, Okwuta Veronica, Julius Odife, Onwumelu Leonard, Ekegbuo Nwaokedi, Andrew Uba, Ozoemena Odinaka, Uche Enemuo, Chizoba Nwamadu, Chibuzo Elele, Azuka Nwobu and Paul Chiogbologo

Others are Chibuzo Ilo, Gabriel Egwuonwu, Chinenye Emejulu, Ekene Okeke, Chinwe Aniekwe, Okwudili Udemadu, Bene Ogolo, Chukwunonso Osadebe, Chinedu Nwafor, Philomena Oguejiofor and little miss Oluebube Ezeabasili, a ten year old who lost two lower legs to ailment.

•Photo shows wife of Anambra State Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Ebelechukwu Obiano wheeling a beneficiary during the presentation of 80 Wheel chairs to physically challenged persons in Anambra . . . Wednesday at Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia.

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