The Abibakr As-Sidiq Philanthropic Home, a non-governmental organisation, has empowered dozens of orphaned and vulnerable children in Kwara State with vocational and life skills to tackle youth unemployment and rising insecurity in the state.
The initiative, tagged the Orphan Support Project, received funding support from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) and recently held its empowerment and vocational training close-out ceremony in Ilorin.
Speaking at the event on Monday, the Chief Operating Officer of Abibakr As-Sidiq Philanthropic Home and Project Manager of the programme, Farid Salman, warned that ignoring vulnerable children could pose serious security threats to society.
“If vulnerable children are neglected in society, there will be insecurity because an idle hand is the devil’s workshop,” he said. “They are easily recruited into criminal activities. This is why the foundation is intervening to address insecurity at its roots.”
Salman explained that the initiative, which began in March last year, was structured to move beyond short-term welfare support by prioritising long-term empowerment, self-reliance and sustainability.
He disclosed that the beneficiaries had successfully completed vocational training in tailoring, catering, ICT and computer hardware maintenance, tricycle riding and welding. He added that the graduating participants received certificates and empowerment tools to help them become economically independent immediately after training.
The project manager further revealed that training was ongoing in hairdressing, furniture and cabinet making, and electrical installation, with all the necessary equipment already procured and set to be handed over to participants upon completion.
He noted that the project also provided food supplies to orphanage homes and beneficiary households, while school fees covering two academic terms had already been paid. The final term fees and the remaining learning materials are scheduled for immediate disbursement.
“As of today, the Orphan Support Project has achieved about 95 per cent completion, with all activities aligned strictly with the approved proposal,” Salman said.
He commended the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre for its support and also acknowledged the President of Abibakr As-Sidiq Philanthropic Home, Mallam AbdulRazzaq Ibrahim Salman, for his leadership and commitment to improving the welfare of vulnerable children.
Earlier at the event, the Kwara State Commissioner for Social Development, Dr Mariam Nnafatima Imam, described the initiative as both timely and impactful. She said empowerment programmes targeted at orphans aligned with the state government’s focus on child protection and poverty reduction.
“By equipping these children with vocational skills, you are giving them hope, dignity and a future. The government alone cannot address all social challenges, and partnerships with faith-based organisations like this are vital,” she said.
Dr Imam also assured the foundation of the ministry’s readiness to partner on future initiatives, especially in areas such as skills acquisition, mentorship and psychosocial support for vulnerable children.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Olori Muslimat Dawodu expressed appreciation to the foundation for its continuous support. She said the food supplies provided would enhance service delivery to about 80 orphans under her care.
“We are grateful to the foundation for the support; it will go a long way in helping us in our service to humanity,” she said.
Some of the equipment donated to the orphans by the Abibakr As-Sidiq Philanthropic Home at the vocational training close-out ceremony in Ilorin included tailoring machines, catering kits, computers, welding tools and tricycles.
The event, held in Ilorin on Monday, marked a key milestone in the foundation’s ongoing effort to empower orphans and vulnerable children in Kwara State.
