By NAN

An NGO, Sapphire Foundation, has distributed food and other gift items to more than 1,000 residents of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), preparatory to the yuletide.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the beneficiaries of the foundation’s gesture included widows, children, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, youths and others.

Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Cannon-Ikurusi Wigodo, while distributing the items, on Sunday in Abuja, said that the gesture was assisting the less-privileged during the festive season.

“In the spirit of Christmas, we decided to gather widows, children, people with disabilities and different FCT residents to come and celebrate with us.

“We were particular about the less-privileged who don’t have idea of where to go or what to do during this yuletide.

“We gave out food and other gifts to more than 1,000 of beneficiaries in the FCT, including widows, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, women, youths, street children and many others.

“Though we have many programmes, we usually encounter financial constraints in executing our plans.

“Hopefully, we will get partnership from public-spirited individuals to continue putting smiles on the faces of FCT residents,” she said.

The chief executive officer added that the foundation had also been providing free vocational training to FCT residents in order to reduce unemployment rate in Nigeria.

“Sapphire Foundation was founded in UK in 2015 and opened its office in Abuja in February 2020 in order to help curb unemployment in Nigeria.

“We provide free vocational skills to FCT residents, especially the less privileged ones. In our academy, we accept FCT residents between the ages of five and 30 and teach them different vocational skills, free of charge.

“Many have acquired skills in hairdressing, dancing and ICT, among others. We also do extra lessons for students in different science and art subjects in order to improve their performances in WAEC, NECO, UTME and other pubic examinations.

“Everything we do here is free. We presently have more than 500 students in our academy. Some of them graduated in June and we empowered them with equipment to set up on their own businesses.

“Our tutors are monitoring their progress for evaluation and the beneficiaries are free to come back to us whenever they need help,” she said.

Also speaking, Community Centre Manager of the foundation, Blessing Ocholi, said that the group had laudable projects to take children off the streets and make residents gainfully employed.

“The rate of unemployment is so high in Nigeria, hence the intervention by the foundation in making people gainfully employed by incorporating different vocational programmes in the academy.

“However, we cannot do it alone, hence our plea with government and public-spirited individuals to partner with us to achieve our objectives.

“These children are really talented and deserve all the sponsorship they can get in any venture they undertake,” Ocholi said. (NAN)