The Inner Wheel (IW) District 911, an NGO, has pledged continuous support to humanitarian services for which the organisations is founded on.
The district’s Chairperson, Mrs Olufolake Ajayi, made the pledge during their Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos on Saturday.
Ajayi said that Inner Wheel Nigeria, a member of the International Inner Wheel (IIW) body operating under six district’s namely: D911, D912, D913, D916, D325 and D9110, was organised to promote true friendship and selfless ideals.
She thanked all members for being part of D911 success story in the 2022/2023 IW ‘Working Wonders’ year, saying that the district was regularly featured in the IIW news bulletin.
“Our year runs from July 1 to June 30 and when I started the year, I flagged off a vocational training and empowerment programme in August to empower 29 young adults.
“The training covered four different vocations in catering and confectionery, fashion designing, makeup artistry and information technology.
She added that the beneficiaries were each empowered with working tools relative to their vocations.
“Laptops, ovens, makeup kits and sewing machines were given out to ensure that the beneficiaries can be empowered to make a living for themselves in the society,” Ajayi said.
The chairman said that 11 widows were each empowered with N50,000 during the International Women’s Day celebration in March while 10 others were handed soft loans of N100,000 each.
“Also, the amount contributed by D911 Work Wonders Inner Wheel members was N300,000 towards the Pakistani Flood relief funds and N530,000 towards Syria, Turkey Earthquake Fund.
“D911 also collaborated with other district chairmen to alleviate the sufferings of some of our members in D916, affected by floods in Nigeria.
“Apparently, all clubs performed effectively well and the district was readily available to support and assist where and when necessary,” she said.
Ajayi, however, said that the district’s main challenge was the economic climate in Nigeria toward raising capitation fees to stay as members of the IIW organisation.
“With the current economic climate and unstable forex exchange forces, raising the money can sometimes be challenging,” she lamented.
The president promised to support the new chairman, who would be kicking-off her tenure in July 1, by guiding her so that the district could keep recording positive philanthropic feats.
The new district Chairman-elect, Mrs Magdalene Adegoke, said that the organisation sourced money from good citizens and charitable individuals to carry out humanitarian projects while promoting international understanding.
“The IW will be 100 years old in 2024 and I will happen to be the centenarian district chairman.
“I will continue to put smiles on the faces of the less privileged and continue with the trainings and empowerment projects.
“Since it’s a centenary year, anything that I’m going to do will be done in hundred folds, however, subject to the money that we will be able to raise for projects,” she said.
Adegoke said that her administration would also look inwards to cater for elderly members among them in the organisation as well as those in old people’s home.
In the same vein, Mrs Omotolani Martins, President, IW Club, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), said that the organisation was all about service to humanity.
“If you can not give, you can not be in this club because your ability to reach out to the middle, poor and the less privilege is non-negotiable,” she said
Also, Ms Omolola Fakeye, Chartered President, IW club of LUTH said that Martin’s administration had done well in terms of carrying out diverse projects in LUTH especially, for the Accident and Emergency unit.
“Inner wheel club of LUTH appreciates the Lagos University Teaching Hospital management for their support all the time till date,” Fakeye said.
One of the beneficiaries of the training scheme, Ms Onye Ejiofor, said that she was elated to have been trained in baking and benefited ovens after the scheme.
“The ovens are very fantastic and I’ve been putting them to good use,” she said.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria