FOLLOW-UP VISITS AND VERIFICATION EXERCISE OF PAST STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCES FROM 17TH JANUARY 2017
On graduation each year, our students with disability are empowered with various startup work tools and cash to enable them establish their own businesses and become self-reliant. The foundation does not stop at giving them all these but goes further to make follow-up visits to give them proper directions and to ascertain what areas the foundation could help more. Consequently, on 17th January 2017, the foundation commenced her activities for the year with the follow-up and verification exercise of past students.
This exercise will continue until all the past students have been visited and their performances assessed. More than 300 past students had been visited and their performances are encouraging. Such follow-ups and verifications have taken our team of field staff to Enugu metropolis, Ezeagu LGA, Udi LGA, and Nkanu LGA.
ORIENTATION OF NEW STUDENTS FOR 2017 SKILLS ACQUISITION TRAINING PROGRAM ON 4TH FEBRUARY 2017
On 4th February 2017, the Foundation commenced her skills acquisition training activities for 2017 with the orientation of new students for the 2017 classes. Although registration of new students is a continuous exercise, but about 100 registered students received orientation on that day.
Our classes for the year include Basic Computer Literacy for the Blind, Braille Reading and Writing, Independent Living Skills, Music Band training, Catering & Fast Food, Beads & Wire Works, Shoe & Bag making, Cosmetology & Paint Making, Hairdressing & Beauty Salon, Barbing Salon, Fashion Designing/Knitting, GSM Phone Repair, and TV & Radio Repair.
In addition to the skills acquisition training programs of the foundation, other new programs and activities will take off. They include the blind football game, exercise and fitness program. The Human Right and Advocacy Unit of the foundation will commence keeping the students abreast with their constitutional human rights and their obligations as citizens of Nigeria.
SIR CHRIS ATUEGWU, CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF BINA FOUNDATION, HONOURED WITH THE SILVER JUBILEE AWARD FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP ON 4TH FEBRUARY 2017
The Cathedral Church of the Good Shepherd, Independence Layout, Enugu, commemorated her 25th Anniversary on 5th February 2017. At the occasion the Chairman, Board of Directors of Bina Foundation, Sir Chris Atuegwu was honoured with the SILVER JUBILEE AWARD for his ENTREPRENEURSHIP. The award was presented to him by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, (Gburugburu), Executive Governor of Enugu State.
Sir Chris Atuegwu, Chairman/Managing Director of Michelle Laboratories Limited, manufacturers of Cika brand of pharmaceutical products, is a philanthropist to the core. He has given employment to many persons with disability who graduated from Bina Foundation’s Skills Acquisition Training Centres and the Resource and Recreational Centre for the Blind.
CAPACITY BUILDING TRAINING WORKSHOP FOR PAST STUDENTS
On 9th February 2017, the foundation had a-1-day capacity building training workshop/seminar for her past students. The aim of the workshop was to educate them on how to manage their businesses and sustain the work tools and cash given to them at graduation. There were three main areas on which the workshop covered, namely: Inventory, Business Entrepreneurship, and Profit and Loss in Business. A good number of the past students were at the workshop, and they expressed happiness for their participation in the capacity building training workshop.
VISIT OF THE INTERNATIONAL INNER WHEEL CLUB PRESIDENT AND BOARD EXECUTIVES, AND OTHE MEMFBERS TO BINA FOUNDATION
On 9th February 2017, Bina Foundation hosted some dignified officials from the International Inner Wheel Club and the International Inner Wheel Clubs in Nigeria. They were conducted round our facilities and they met face to face with our students with disability during their training sessions.
The president of the International Inner Wheel Club, Mrs. Oluyemisi Alatise, and the National Rep/President of all Inner Wheel Clubs in Nigeria, Lady Uche Agbim, and other members of the Inner Wheel Club, highly praised Lady Ifeoma Atuegwu, President/Founder of Bina Foundation, for her vision and tenacious efforts in piloting the affairs of the Foundation.
The august visitors were overwhelmed by the sophisticated equipment being used at the Resource and Recreational Centre for the Blind and Visually Impaired of Bina Foundation.
BINA FOUNDATION EMBARKS ON EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM (HANDOVER OF FREE WORK EQUIPMENT TO PAST STUDENTS)
In keeping with its training, rehabilitation and re-integration program, the foundation on 14th March 2017 commenced empowering the 2016 students who graduated from the skills acquisition training centre with various work equipment to enable them become self-reliant.
Fashion Designing, Hairdressing, shoe making, cosmetology, catering and fast food, fashion designing, bead/wire works equipment have continued to be distributed to the past students.
EXERCISE AND FITNESS PROGRAM OF BINA FOUNDATION COMMENCES ON 21ST MARCH 2017
For all categories of disabled students of the Foundation to reap the enormous benefits of sports, Bina Foundation delved into the Exercise and Fitness Program. Those who are on the wheelchairs and cannot play the football or engage in the field and track game of running now have options of other sports, including the aerobics just to exercise their bodies and keep fit. The foundation has room for blind runners, shot-put and javelin, volley ball, power-lifting, etc. Equipment and materials for these various sporting activities for people with disability are being procured. On 21st March 2017, students with disability commenced the aerobic exercise and expressed great happiness for the program.
HUMAN RIGHTS AND ADVOCACY UNIT OF BINA FOUNDATION EDUCATES STUDENTS ON THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS AS CITIZENS
In order that the rehabilitation and re-integration programs of the foundation be fruitful, the Human Rights and Advocacy Unit of Bina Foundation saw the necessity for her students with disability to be kept abreast with the knowledge of the existing laws of the land, their constitutional rights and obligations as citizens of Nigeria.
Consequently, a legal luminary, Her Lordship, Ms. Nonyelum Anyaegbunam, a serving magistrate in the Anambra State Judicial Council enlightened the students on their fundamental human rights and duties as citizens of Nigeria. The forum which commenced on 21st March 2017 offers good opportunity for the students to ask questions and receive answers.
FORMAL INAUGURATION OF BINA BLIND FOOTBALL CLUB (BBFC)
Bina Foundation has continued to explore new opportunities to awaken the latent possibilities in people with various disabilities. This time, the Foundation decided to put more weight, resources and energy towards the blind and visually impaired because they deserve our attention.
This brought about establishing the Bina Blind Football Club so that interested blind persons can enjoy the enormous benefits of sports. Allowing visually impaired young people to participate in sports, especially in football, brings a wide range of profits, ranging from increased confidence and self-esteem to improved health and sense of community.
On Wednesday, 12th April 2017, the official inauguration of BINA BLIND FOOTBALL CLUB took place at the Union Secondary School, Awkunanaw, Enugu – Nigeria. This is the first of its kind in the southern part of the country.
His Grace, Dr. E.O. Chukwuma, OON, Archbishop of Enugu Province and Bishop of the Enugu Diocese (Anglican Communion), the spiritual father of Bina Foundation was there in the company of other very important dignitaries to cheer up the blind footballers. He thanked God for the various training, rehabilitation and reintegration programs of Bina Foundation and prayed for the blind footballers, exhorting them to be committed to the game.
SPECIAL EDUCATION UNIT OF BINA FOUNDATION HANDLES MENTALLY CHALLENGED STUDENTS
Bina Foundation has students who are neither blind nor physically challenged. Rather this set of students are in a state of mental development that negatively affects their intellectual capacity and ability to function. In other words, they are challenged by mental retardation, possibly because of congenital causes, brain injury or disease.
The Special Education Unit of the foundation has commenced the education of these people with special needs. Mrs. Wakolbinger Bernadette Pienz a volunteer and a friend of the Foundation from Austria, versed in educational psychology, handles this unit and has adequately trained some teachers.
BINA FAMILY AT THE INVESTITURE OF REV. CANON CHUKWUDI DAVID CHUKWUBUIHEM AT THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, ENUGU, ON SUNDAY, 30TH APRIL 2017
The foundation’s Chaplain, Chukwudi David Chukwubuihem, was on Sunday, 30th April 2017, instated as a Reverend Canon by His Grace, Dr. E.O. Chukwuma, OON, Archbishop of Enugu Province and Bishop of the Enugu Diocese (Anglican Communion), at the Cathedral Church of the Good Shepherd, Enugu – Nigeria.
Bina Family was at the church service to worship God, witness the installation and congratulate Revd. Cannon Chukwubuihem on his new and elevated position in the Anglican Communion.
BINA FOUNDATION FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS DOLES OUT N5,000,000.00 (FIVE MILLION NAIRA) INTEREST-FREE MICRO-CREDIT LOAN GRANT TO HER 150 PAST STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY ON TUESDAY, 16TH MAY 2016 AT THE FOUNDATION’S ARENA
BINA FOUNDATION FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS has taken another bold step to practically reinforce her training, rehabilitation and re-integration programs by doling out a whopping sum of N5,000,000.00 to 150 past students with disability as interest-free micro-credit loan grant.
The beneficiaries are students with disability who were trained in the Foundation’s Skills Acquisition Training Centre in various vocational skills for free. The training covered tailoring / fashion designing, shoe and bag making, bead making and wire works, catering and fast food, hair dressing / beauty salon, cosmetology, paint making, TV / Radio / GSM phone repairs, etc. They had already been empowered with relevant free startup work equipment and funds that enabled them set up their own businesses towards self-reliance. Capacity building workshops / seminars were also organized for them during which they were taught how to manage their businesses.
Notwithstanding these noble steps geared towards improving the lives of the downtrodden in the society, the Foundation made additional bold stride by granting them interest-free loans in order to help them escape poverty, build up capital to start or expand their small businesses and empower them to provide for their families, boost their dignity and contribute to the United Nation’s sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The Foundation is aware that people with disability in Nigeria and, in fact, other developing countries are grossly marginalized and stigmatized. They are often denied access to education, healthcare, employment, training opportunities and loans. They lack access to basic financial facilities that could help them invest their talents and save for the future. This situation worsens their hopeless conditions and perpetuates poverty in their families, making them believe that life is not worth living.
To obviate such horrible conditions, the Foundation incorporated into her programs the Interest-free micro-credit loan grant scheme to enable her numerous past students with disability have stable businesses, make them succeed in life, help them break the cycle of poverty and put them in the position to contribute to the overall development of their communities.
The Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Chikwuendu Amobi, cautioned the beneficiaries against squandering the interest-free loan grant or diverting it to any other purpose but towards their small scale businesses so that they can repay within one calendar year, having been allowed a three-month moratorium period. He also advised them to cultivate the habit of saving money from their generated incomes for sustenance of their businesses.
Miss Ezeh Amarachi, one of the physically challenged beneficiaries, who testified to the positive impact the foundation had created in her life, was obviously lavish in her approbation and acknowledgment of the foundation’s benevolence and intervention. She recounted how Bina Foundation scooped her from a state of hopelessness, trained her in the skills of bead making and wire works and thereafter empowered her with startup kits and cash with which she set up her own income generating business. She expressed being overwhelmed by the foundation’s continued generosity of granting her an interest-free loan.
Revd. Ogbonnia Ude, one of the visually impaired beneficiaries, also expressed joy for the rescue mission of the foundation in his life. He went down the memory lane of what he encountered in the past as a result of the hopeless living condition of his family necessitated by blindness before he came to Bina Foundation. He expressed happiness for the free skills acquisition training he underwent in our cosmetology department as well as the startup kits and cash with which he was empowered at graduation.
On behalf of the 150 beneficiary students with disability, he thanked the foundation for giving them all it takes to succeed in life, and prayed that God may continue to bless the president/founder of the foundation, Lady Ifeoma Atuegwu, the chairman of the board of directors, Sir Chris Atuegwu, families, friends and supporters of the foundation.
Important dignitaries that were at the occasion include Mr. Sylvester Okpe, State Coordinator, National Directorate of Employment, Enugu State and Mr. Ndubuisi Gerald (Head, Information and Public Relations) from the NDE, Enugu State.
Others from the Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment, Enugu State, are Mrs. Oke Ndidi-Amaka (Head, Occupational Safety and Health) and Mr. Vitalis Chime (Senior Inspector of Factories).
A distinguished personality, and a very good friend and supporter of the Foundation, Pastor Mrs. Kate Okafor from Birmingham, UK, was also at the occasion. She took her time to explain to the beneficiaries of how much Lady Ifeoma Atuegwu and Sir Chris Atuegwu with all members of their family love them and what they can do to see to their success. She advised them to ensure proper use of the loan and to ensure prompt repayment so that others would benefit in the future.
Print and electronic media representatives from NTA, News Agency of Nigeria, Vanguard and Authority Newspapers covered the occasion.