Foundation Donates Food Items to Less Privileged

Foundation Donates Food Items to Less Privileged

Oluchi Chibuzor

As the grip of coronavirus continues to affect the socioeconomic status of the larger part of the citizens, Beauge Foundation has donated food packs to some less privileged in the society.

This gesture is in view of its mission to create a system that empowers, transforms and integrates beggars back into society as self-sufficient and not a burden to humanity.

Speaking during the distribution in Lagos, the founder, Beauge Foundation, Noel Astonish, said the idea is to effectively engage them through a seven proven transformation process that would take them away from the streets across the country.

He said with the constant threat they face from government agencies, motorist, the organisation is determined to pursue a policy change to protect them in view of constant assault on them.

Astonish affirmed that having been involved in the social work for a while government, private sector and the public can do better than given beggars money rather would not change their perspectives about the issue.

Astonish urged the government, private sector and the public to strive towards improving the conditions of beggars, instead of just giving them alms.

“We realized that Lagos state government officials often raid them, but we need to find a creative way to strategically give them a means of livelihood. So our process is to make them role models for others after completing our vocational skill acquisition. The distribution of food is part of our ways of supporting beggars in our adopted community to attract them into our network where we can start a gradual mindset rehabilitation regarding the views about living on hands-out from people.

“We usually use this medium to get some of them who are interested in going through our transformation process, but oftentimes we have realized that even those we have rehabilitated like to go back to the road.”

Having been trained by Beauge foundation in fashion design and helping in mobilizing his colleagues, Mohammed Ibrahim said for him to fully utilize his newly acquired skill requested for financial aid to establish in his trade.

Probed on why he has returned to the road, he said: “I want to develop my newly learnt skill, but I do need assistance from the government as this will go a long way to make me more financially dependent.”

Similarly, a Kaduna indigene, Sodiq Aminu, who arrived in Lagos with hope and aspiration, described his situation as pathetic having been hit by an unknown hit-an-run driver some months after he arrived.

“Since there is no help for me to get medical assistance for my swollen leg I do not have any means to survive.”

Related Articles