Olanrewaju Lawal,Birnin-Kebbi

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Mass Almajiri Literacy and Poverty Alleviation Initiative (MALPAI), run by Hajiya Aisha Atiku Bagudu, wife of Kebbi State governor, has sponsored over 600 girls and 100 almajiri to various schools in Kebbi State as part of efforts to reduce illiterate among the people.

The  Foundation was established in 2009 by Hajiya Bagudu with the objective of reducing the number of out of school children and curb adult illiteracy in the state.

Addressing newsmen, on Thursday, in Birnin-Kebbi, Hajiya Bagudu disclosed that the Foundation had penetrated many nomadic settlements and rural communities  in the state to ensure enrolment of children of the less privileged in various schools.

In her words, “We have created an enabling environment in our literacy centers in the state in an effort to make education accessible to children of school age.

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“For now, we have over 600 girls. 100 almajiri have so far been sponsored to schools out of which many are in universities and polytechnics in pursuance of higher education.

“The Foundation is basically working to create learning environment to enable the children to access education and to harness children who do not have access to education.

“We want to see the children of the less previleged competing favourably with the children of the well-to-dos in the tertiary institutions of learning, and come back to the society productively,” she said.

The goernor’s wife who lamented over some terrains she and her team penetrated, said that the Foundation was reaching out to government agencies, national, international organisations and NGOs for collaboration on how to improve the lives of the less privileged children through education.

She continued, “So far MALPAI foundation is self- funded, but we thank the state government and Governor Atiku Bagudu for their assistance in order to ensure we reach out to remote communities and settlements,” she said.