A Lagos-based charity organisation, Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, has disbursed an interest-free loan of ₦1 million to two petty traders in Zamfara, Habiba Abdulsalam and Abba Bello.
The foundation also provides annual scholarships to Qur’anic memorisers, orphans and children from indigent families in the state.
Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries on Sunday in Gusau, the Executive Director of the foundation, Sulaiman Olagunju, said the gesture was aimed at helping the traders expand their businesses.
Olagunju, represented by the Zamfara Coordinator of the foundation, Malam Ibrahim Tudu, said each of the beneficiaries received ₦500,000 as an interest-free loan.
“The gesture was aimed at alleviating the socio-economic difficulties among vulnerable people and empowering them to become self-employed. The loan will be paid without interest, and each beneficiary has been granted ₦500,000 to be paid within one year,” he explained.
He added that the foundation also supported education for orphans and less-privileged children in Zamfara.
According to him, ₦500,000 had been set aside to cover school fees for selected vulnerable students in primary, junior and senior secondary schools in the state, while 13 orphaned students were chosen for tertiary education scholarships.
“We made arrangements to secure university admission for the selected students after completing their secondary education this year,” he said.
Olagunju noted that the foundation’s education programme covers 19 states across the country, with seven public and Islamic schools in Zamfara benefiting from it.
(NAN)
