One of the major goals of our farm operation in Maiduguri from its beginning was to train street children and their families in the skills of drip irrigation to enable these young people to provide for their families and get them off the streets. Some of the first to attend our drip irrigation workshops were members of the Borno State Youth Empowerment Forum. This Islamic organization’s leaders not only saw first hand how drip irrigation works, but witnessed the actual training of a few street children and their family members. Leaders of the BSYEF were very impressed and Ebenezer was granted a special pass that enables him to go to any government building in Maiduguri without first securing special permission. This unprecedented access to government offices and cooperation with the BSYEF has now opened even more opportunities.
Here is a letter received this week from Ebenezer with some very exciting news. “Yesterday the Borno State Youth Empowerment Forum carried out a one day sensitization seminar for the Borno state and its environment. All the Stakeholders were present, including Legislators, all the Service Chiefs and all those that matters in the State…I have been nominated as the Vice President of the Forum which is a Coalition of all major NGOs in Borno State. Our organization is actively involved in enlightenment and empowerment of the economically stricken society.”
Ebenezer also shared a picture of the new fish pond that the BSYEF members are digging on their own property under Ebenezer’s capable direction. Other BSYEF members have already developed their own personal drip irrigation gardens, and are spreading the word about the value of drip irrigation.
As a supporter of Arewa Aid and the training you enable us to provide, lives are being changed and saved.
