By Haruna Aliyu – Birnin Kebbi

The Kebbi State Chairman of Almajiri Support Initiative, Comrade Shehu Umar, has said that the non-governmental organisation has trained no fewer than 5,000 almajiris in Kebbi State.

According to him, the NGO seeks to discourage almajiri system of begging by giving them the basic western and islamic education in order to make them useful members of the society.

“We train them on their trades of interest both minor and major trades, they didn’t not only include almajiris widows and the physically challenge males and females also partake in the skills aquisition.”

He stressed that despite challenges of funds lots of them have graduated while at least 200 almajiris are still being trained at the centre in Birnin Kebbi.

Umar, who laments low financial assistance as the main challenges of transformation drive, said that he can only afford one meal for them which is lunch.

“You cannot stop almajiris from begging when you cannot provide for them, I’m using my pension to feed them which is not enough, so I need the other hands to assist me, I don’t have any international donor agencies only some few well-spirited persons donating,” he said.

He appealed to government and members of the public to provide books, uniform and health facilities to the almajiris.

He thanked a few of their donors which are Emir of Gwandu, Emir of Argungu, NLC, Kebbi State, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Dr Amina Shamaki, FOMWAN, and a host of others.

In his speech at the occasion tagged ‘knowing how to pray well’, the Wazirin Gwandu his royal highness, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar, said that, already, Gwandu Emirate has set up a committee to assist almajiris by giving them both western and Islamic education in order to take them off the streets.

He added that the Emirate is pained seeing young almajiris on the streets begging.

Waziri who described almajiri system of begging as cancer in the society stated that the time to end it is now “parents must cooperate with us and must give account of their children behaviour here and the hereafter so we will continue to discourage it and support the initiative, he donated food items and cash.