What inspired me to initiate projects during my service year — ex-corps member

Asma’u Hamisu Isa is one of the two corps members who clinched the prestigious State and Sultan meritorious awards in the just concluded 2019  Batch ‘B’ Stream 1, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)   in Sokoto.

The Kano State indigene, who served at Sultan Abdurrahman School of Health Technology, Gwadabawa, established an  e-library and renovated three female toilets at the institution.

She also organised breast cancer and cervical cancer sensitisation  programmes for secondary school students in Gwadabawa town and held another forum on the importance of girl child education as well as female hygiene.

The human anatomy graduate said she was glad with the honour.

She said: “I feel so excited to have received these two important awards from two important institutions.

“I don’t think it had happened before that same set of corps members received both State honours award and Sultan best corps member award.

“I feel so happy and I give glory to Almighty Allah.”

She said she never thought of getting any award while undertaking those programmes.

“No, not at all, I did all what I did because I was inspired by what late Nana Asma’u the daughter of Sheikh Usman bn Fodiyo did in the area of improving girl child education and many others.

“So, I did it to contribute my quota in the aspect of girl child education.

“I decided to embark on the e-library project because of lack of the facility.

“It is what modern society needs.

“We need to improve on our  level of education; we should not rely only on the textbook, we have to upgrade and have e-resources.

“So, actually I did not do it for any award, and I never thought I would grab such honour.”

She said she had mixed feeling leaving Sokoto.

”I feel so much happy that I have completed my service year successfully and I am moving to the stage of life, but at the same time, I feel sad that I would have to leave Sokoto State, the seat of the caliphate, where I met a lot of good people who were highly instrumental in the success of my service year.”

Chairperson,  NYSC state Governing  Board, Sokoto/Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Hajiya Amina Jakada, gave the state award on behalf of Sokoto governor.

The Sultan’s Personal Secretary, Alhaji Hali Maccido, presented his award, which included a plasma TV and 100,000 cash to each of the recipients.

The second award winner, Dr. Oromona Blessed Agba from Delta state, carried out sickle cell awareness campaign/screening in Gwadabawa local Government Area, ascertaining the genotype status of more than 700 people.

At the award presentation, NYSC State Coordinator, Philip Enaburue, said that the state and Sultan’s gestures would serve as motivation for serving corps members.