A non-governmental organization, (NGO) Hina-Gana Foundation, has provided delivery kits for 100 indigent pregnant women from the fiver area councils in the Federal Capital Territory.
President and Founder of the foundation, Hajia Hadiza Mohammed Gana, who distributed the items to the beneficiaries on Monday, during the launch of the Foundation’s maiden edition of “Birth a Child Programme,” in Abuja, said she had been committed to humanitarian activities from her secondary school years, when she knew nothing about foundation.
The humanitarian expressed concern for indigent people, saying that it is discomforting to see people go to bed with empty stomach. “So, from the little I was getting from my parents as pocket money, I sacrificed by sharing it with the privileged,” she said.
Discussing the efforts of the Foundation, the founder said: “We have catered for children on the streets and tried to ensure they are enrolled into school to get some level education,” adding that during one of my outreaches in Kaida village, Gwagwalada, I witnessed a pregnant woman who died in my presence while trying to deliver a baby at home because she had no basic kits required at the hospital.
Recalling the sad experience, Gana explained that during the delivery, there were no hand gloves or pads, and there was not a single delivery kit.
“On that day, I decided that I was going to be involved in care for pregnant women because no woman deserves to die while giving birth,” she said.
According to her, the “Birth a Child Programme” was conceived to prevent mothers from patronising the traditional birth practitioners, because, some of the women can’t afford basic delivery kits in the hospital during deliver and sometimes get endangered with their babies.
“We found out that some women do not have the basic kits and requirements needed for safe delivery.”
She said “Birth A Child Programme is an annual project and we will do our best to help those really in need,” adding that indigent pregnant women from across the five Area Councils of the FCF are the targeted beneficiaries of the maiden edition.
In his remarks, the Founder of Soulbrax Women and Youth Empowerment Initiative, Suleiman Ibrahim Kutunku, lauded the Programme, and called on well-meaning individuals to have humanitarian attitude to make our country a better place.
According to him, if there is genuine love we won’t have crises in the world.
“Most times women have high blood pressure because they don’t have delivery items and they know they will be harassed. But Hina Foundation has settled that problem in her own capacity and it’s very commendable and deserves all the support to cater for needs of more poor pregnant women,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries Alonge Esther, a resident of Dukpa village, Gwagwalada, said most pregnant women in rural areas can’t afford delivery kits so they end up giving birth at home, adding that the items will go a long way in reducing delivery cost for her and other pregnant women.
