Muslim women under the umbrella of Halal Foundation have opened an orphanage home in Kaduna state to cater for the needs of vulnerable children in the society.
The home, known as Halal Children’s Home, which is located at Doctors quarters in the state’s metropolis is expected to begin with 20 orphans between the ages of 0 to 5 years.
Speaking on the initiative, the Coordinator of the home in Kaduna, Fatima Mahmud, said the foundation was founded five years ago adding that the first home was set up in Abuja which has been running since 2014.
According to her, “The sisters in Abuja encouraged us to open another facility here because they have had a successful model there with 35 children. They have children who are fostered in the home and people sending money for their upkeep.
“They attend good schools and are mentored by the sisters. So they came to Kaduna and encouraged us to set up the same model because there is a need for it in the society because we have lots of vulnerable children that are not being taken care of.”
She noted that the home can take care of 20 orphans for now adding, “We are hoping to expand to do as much as we can. We have plans to open two buildings for both boys and girls because if you have children, as they get older, in as much as we want people to adopt which might not happen for now, it may be a case of us fostering the children, so we may need much space and building where we would have separate building for male and female.”
On the running of the home, she said, “We have the support of administrative staff and apart from the coordinator, we have the supervisor who is the administrative head of the home, she does the documentation and liaise with the police, social welfare department. Then matron, who is the operational head, will reside in the house and also supervise the nannies.
“We have one nanny per five children who will take care of the children we will be getting from the social welfare department and the police. Although, wherever they come from, we have to document them from the police and social welfare because we know in our environment the way children are abandoned, some might be brought to the orphanage.”
She said the home plans to collaborate with hospitals and schools that are close to the home so that the children can be fully integrated into the society.
While decrying the spate of children being abandoned, she called on organizations and well-to-do individuals to extend hands of support to the needy in order to reduce their suffering.
“A child that grows up without love or is rejected by society will be attracted to the undesirable section of the society and those are the ones that give us the anti-social issues we are having right now.
“So, we should collectively come up with formations of homes like this to show them love and integrate them into the society by not ostracizing them.”
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman, Doctors Quarters Community Association, Ibrahim Mashi described the move as a welcome development.
Ibrahim who described the home as a chance to participate in charity said the community immediately appointed four people to look into the request for the establishment of the home and promised to support the home in whatever way they can.
Zubairu Sambo, who resides near the orphanage, said, “The effort made by this foundation is tremendously important to us, especially to this community; because, whoever brings this kind of initiative into an environment will contribute to humanity and to God.”
He noted that Almighty Allah said whoever try to improve the welfare of orphans, will be among those that dwells in paradise.
“We are really happy with the Halal foundation for this initiative and we’ll try our best to grow the orphanage in such a way that it will become an image of emulation for other communities and the country at large,” he said.
