In furtherance of her commitment to uplifting the status of the physically-challenged persons and giving them a sense of belonging in the society, the wife of the governor of Anambra State, Chief (Mrs.) Ebelechukwu Obiano, yesterday in Awka, distributed more Prosthetic limbs to 200 physically-challenged persons who went home happy.

Mrs Obiano said it was a way to do good to the needful and add value to lives of God’s creations.

The fitting of limbs held at the Women Development Centre Awka was part of the second phase programme organised by the Caring Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ), the NGO promoted by the wife of the Governor of Anambra State.

During the First Phase held in December 2014, about 300 physically challenged persons were provided with the artificial limbs free of charge thus bringing the total to 500beneficiaries.

In her address during the exercise, Mrs. Obiano who is Focal Person and promoter of CAFÉ, expressed delight with gesture aimed at ameliorating their present condition.

She said that this second phase empowerment would ensure “improved mobility aid in the use of their arms and legs. The immediate outcome of this gesture is that most of them are ultimately going to leverage the improved mobility aid to work better to earn a living. Thus with improved mobility, their living condition will improve and hopefully there will be better income from employment, business or other engagements.”

Recalling that she was away on official assignment during the first phase, when her husband, Governor Willie Obiano represented her and flagged off the gesture, she said the items would enhance the dignity of the beneficiaries.

According to her, since the commencement of her pet project, CAFÉ, about 500 persons with physical disabilities have been empowered by CAFÉ with prosthetic limbs assuring “we are committed to our promise to make life less burdensome for the physically challenged in Anambra State.”

Mrs Obiano condemned accumulation of wealth at the expense of the poor, said few wealthy people exist but still lord it over majority of poor people, pointed out that her pet project not only trains nut empowers individuals in the state in order to be wealth creators and brad winners in their various families and communities.

She stated that the numerous charity and empowerment programmes undertaken by CAFÉ, “underscores my passion, commitment and bold effort to give meaning to the lives of the dispossessed and disadvantaged. Today, we are here to share in the joy of 200 of our brothers and sisters who have already been measured and will now be fitted with prosthetic limbs.”

The CAFÉ focal person assured further that more persons still waiting to benefit should be hopeful as she as leaving no stone unturned in her bid to provide them with more artificial limbs.

Noting that CAFÉ, as a non-governmental, nonpartisan organization with a vision to be the beacon of sustainable empowerment for women and the less privileged, has the mandate “to care for the less privileged and reduce women-child vulnerability while maintaining the dignity of persons with disabilities in Anambra state and uplifts the less privileged including physically challenged.

Through CAFÉ, Mrs Obiano said, she had embarked on several empowerment initiatives and skills acquisition training aimed at lifting the beneficiaries out of poverty, disclosing that most of what the pet project does is largely through the support of the well-to-do and people of goodwill while imploring for assistance.

She appreciated the efforts and contributions of CAFÉs partners, the Tolaram Group who are the manufacturers of the prosthetic Limb, and charged the firm to “remain committed to producing more quality prosthetic limbs to meet the needs of CAFÉ and the beneficiaries.”

Mrs Obiano called on all persons with deformities who graduated in the last six years to submit their personal details to the Office of the Wife of the Governor through their respective local government chairmen for employment as according to her, the State government would soon employ 1,000 physically-challenged persons.

Earlier in his remark, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jo Akabuike, tagged the day as special and a celebration of the Obiano Family tradition, recalled that the governor and the wife had been into charity works before they came to power, stressing that “what the governor and his wife are doing are innate in their heart.”

Dr. Akabuike appreciated the State governor for offsetting the N150 million medical bills of indigent patients as well as provision of N10 million for heart transplant of another patient.

Speaking to newsmen, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. (Mrs.) Victoria Chikwelu pointed out that the Obiano administration was willing to make an unprecedented mark in the life of every disabled person in the state for the good posterity.

While praising the First Lady for making it possible towards the realisation of self-reliance for persons with disabilities in the State, she said the State Government had set up three rehabilitation centres at Oba, in Idemili South Local Government Area to serve Anambra Central zone, Nawfija in Orumba South LGA to serve Anambra South zone and Aguleri in Anambra East LGA for Anambra North zone

Among the equipment distributed were computers, laptops, mobility aids, wheel chairs, tricycles, clutches, V. Machines, grinding machines, sewing machines, hair dryers, shoe making tools, big and small generators and industry sewing machines.

•Photo shows Mrs Obiano