As part of its efforts to help the less privileged and the physically challenged, the Differently Abled Foundation (DAF)in partnership with World Connect has rehabilitated the garri factory for the residents of Ago Ireti settlement, located along Oba-Ile road, Akure, the Ondo state capital.
The Garri Industry which had been moribund for years was also equipped with new machines and other equipments needed for Garri.
Handing over the rehabilitated Garri factory to the community, the CEO of Differently Abled Foundation, DAF, Folajogun Akinlami pointed out that the factory was no longer producing the commodity till it finally folded up during the Covid 19 pandemic lockdown while it negatively affected their economy.
She said ” They complained of lack of funds, lack of anything you can think of and that made me realize that their garri factory was no longer working, funds are no longer coming in. But now, everything has been refurbished, well painted, with running taps and modern equipment.
They are looking forward for more profit, they are looking forward to better partnership, people that have forgotten them long before now, can now start bringing their garri for processing because outsiders normally come here to process their garri and that gives them some source of income”.
” Some people might be thinking that how can lepers be making garri for them, but there are some people among them that are dependants, some have wives, some have children, they are the ones in charge”.
Folajogun also lamented that the residents at Ago Ireti Settlement are being neglected despite their conditions.
She said “About their monthly stipends, it has not been constant now, also, about discrimination, there’s nothing anyone can do about it. Even their children make sure that taxis don’t drop them in front of here so that people will not stigmatize them.
Some of them have their children living with them, some have children in the universities”.
She noted that “I will advise people that want to help them to know that there are stages in which you can help them, not only bringing food here because you are asked to do so, they can be helped in a way that they will be self dependent, not only foods and clothes, there is more.
They have children that needs scholarships to go to school, some of their children can be adopted for training, also the Ago Ireti skill acquisition can also be refurbished”.
Also speaking, Mr Akinsanmi Olajire who spoke on behalf of Dr Jasper Adeleye Olusayeru from Idanre Local Government and World Connect stated that the project was one that needs to bring people from the grassroot, to develop them, adding that the group won’t stop to support people who have this kind of project just to make sure that the neglected communities were taken care of.
The secretary of the settlement, Mr Tunji Oluwatimehin, while commending the two partners, described the rehabilitation as a very remarkable event in the history of the settlement which will linger on in their minds.
He said “The engine we were using before broke down and that time, we were looking for money in order to sustain, the World Connect did all these without knowing us.
If we have two or three people like World Connect, this world would have been a good place to be, there are lots of people in this country that are wealthy, they speak in billions but find it very difficult to help”.
We cannot reward you, only God can, we pray that God in His infinite mercy will continue to be with World Connect and DAF for their assistance”