As part of events marking the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, wife of the President, Aisha Buhari has donated foodstuff to orphans in Gwagalada, in the Federal Capital Territory, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.
Donating the food items to the FCT Unity Children’s Home on Thursday, she said her desire was to give the children a sense of belonging during the Sallah festivities.
“I am happy to be here to celebrate Sallah with you. Every child in Nigeria has the right to life, good parental care, access to good health, and education, among others,” Buhari said.
Stating that only adequate care and proper upbringing can make the children realise their potentials, she expressed the federal government’s gratitude to the workers in the orphanage that have been taking care of the children, urging them not to relent in this sacred duty.
Furthermore, she appealed to the children to always see the brighter side of life despite any condition they may pass through.
She also commended the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for their efforts in providing adequate shelter for the children.
Buhari said: “I am surprised to see this beautiful and huge building for the children. I did not expect to see something like this.
“As you are aware, we have more than one million children displaced in the North East as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency.
“They are living with their parents, but they are not living in a good and conductive environment like you.”
In his response, the Permanent Secretary of the FCTA, John Chukwu, who received the gifts on behalf of the home, thanked the President’s wife for her labour of love, stating that “It takes one with a motherly heart full of compassion to celebrate Sallah in an orphanage.”
Similarly he called on the government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to assist the home in designing and executing beneficial programmes in all children homes in the FCT.
The children expressed their appreciation for her kind gesture and appealed to her to help in taking care of some other needs in the home.
The items Mrs Buhari donated include bags of rice, cartons of Caprisonne, cantons of Indomie noodles, cartons of biscuit, loaves of bread and cake.