By IZANG BALA BULUS
Beautiful Gate Handicapped People Center Jos partnering with Conscience International on Saturday 12th September to distributed palliative to persons with Disabilities.
In an interaction with TQM, Chief Ayuba Burki Gufwan, the founder of Beautiful Gate Handicapped People Center who is also a person with disability said that Beautiful Gate was established primarily to bridge the gap in the approach between polio eradication and the rehabilitation of polio survivors. It was because the eradication of polio took the center stage and all attention were drawn only to prevention which was good but there was nothing set aside to take care of polio survivors. So Beautiful Gate was standing in the gap to ensure that, they ameliorate the suffering of the victims of polio and give them a platform upon which they would rediscover themselves and have a second chance in life. Now, Beautiful Gate has grown passed just working with polio survivors, but has involved in all matters and affairs of people with disabilities.
“And as you may know, the advent of this Covid-19 has turn around the way of doing things all over the world, and this has brought about sufferings largely on families, particularly the downtrodden and the poor. People with disabilities have been worst hit because, jobs have been lost, the economy has nosedive and generally people have been going through severe hardship. This is what prompted the Beautiful gate to intervene” he added.
He also informed that they started first in March /April by provision of food palliative to alleviate the suffering of people during the lockdown. And things have gotten worse between May and now, prices of food and other basic needs have skyrocketed above the reach of many people. So, the Beautiful Gate sees the need to come in to assist by providing food palliatives for people across the length and breadth of Plateau state.
“In May, the Beautiful Gate identified about 1,700 people. And today, we are reaching out to that same number people, that is 1,700 people across the three Senatorial zones of Plateau state. Last Thursday, the Beautiful Gate was in Shandam, where 600 people were given presented palliative, representing one hundred persons per each local government. And today, The Beautiful Gate is here to give seven (700) people palliative, representing the six local government in the Northern zone, including Bokkos, because, their consignment could not be moved to Pankshin for inadequacy of vehicle, so that informed the decision to match Bokkos with the Northern zone”, he informed.
“After here, The Beautiful Gate will be moving to Pankshin to present four hundred (400) people palliative. One hundred each representing the four local government in the central zone, making a total of 1, 700 people in all” he added
The Director of the Beautiful Gate, Chief Ayuba Burki Gufwan, called on other organizations, religious bodies and individuals to extend a helping hand to all the needy within their vicinity and all over the world.
Chief Gufwan also called on the beneficiaries to raise up and live above disability because there is ability in disability, but this ability is only a potential ability, meaning that, unless this ability is developed and harnessed, it will amount to nothing.
Speaking further, he said that he knows that it is not easy, but the solution is not by sitting down, PWDs should raise up, adapt in any condition and adopt survival measures. He further charges the beneficiaries to put the palliative into good use and he prayed that the palliative should be a blessing to the beneficiaries. He urged them to share a little to others in need around them, as only a hundred benefited in each local government, leaving out much more.
He prayed to God to multiply the little that have been given to a hundred to thousands fold.
The Secretary of Plateau State Disability Right Commission, Mr. Karl Gurunyen, in his speech at the event welcomed and thanked Beautiful Gate and its partners for their kind gesture, he also welcomed the PWDs community, charging them to be orderly for easy distribution of the palliative.
The Director, The Beautiful Gate Handicapped People Center Jos, Chief Ayuba Burki Gufwan welcomed all the people from each of the local government which include, Jos North, Jos South, Jos East, Bassa, Barkin- Ladi, Riyom, and Bokkos while appreciating God for his grace for making the day a reality. He also appreciated Conscience International, who made the contribution to support PWDs in this regard.
Rev. Professor Danny Mac-cane, a friend of Conscience International, a great teacher and speaker who have being in Nigeria for the past 29 years welcomed everyone present. He said, they have been associating with Chief Ayuba Burki Gufwan even before The Beautiful Gate Handicapped People Center Jos came into being. While, talking about Conscience International, he mentioned that they have been working with the organization since 2005.
Stating that Conscience International is the best he knows that have been identifying with needy in the developing countries through resources from developed countries. He added that, this is not the first Conscience International has brought resources to the city, they have brought it through another organization, such as Faith Based Aids Awareness (Initiative). The Association have also brought two large containers loads of medical equipment and supplies worth of millions and millions of Naira for free to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).
He made it known that, Conscience International is a Christian organization, and the things distributed are from Christians.
He said that he came to represent Conscience International and as well Representing Christ Jesus, who is the head of the Christian faith.
Rev. Professor Danny Mar-kane stated three things about Christ Jesus.
1. Christ Jesus is Concern about the needy.
2. Christ Jesus concern about Teaching People and
3. Jesus is also concern about forgiveness.
He later solicited for prayers for Conscience International.
After the distribution of the palliatives, some beneficiaries spoke to TQM.
Victory Maze, a blind lady said that she is grateful for the palliative given to her and prayed for God’s blessing for those that made it possible.
Mr. Ayuba Kadiya, a person with physical disability said that with Covid-19 bringing much difficulty and the cost of living going high, the palliative came in good time.
Usaini Abdullahi Usman, a person with albinism while expressing joy over the kind gesture shown to him by beautiful gate called on government to come to the aid of PWDs especially in this time of difficulty.
Maimuna Auwalu, a deaf lady appreciated the Beautiful Gate for the palliative and prayed God to bless the organization.
Asabe Amad, a lady with leprosy said life have not been easy, but they are lucky in Plateau state to have a person like Ayuba Burki Gufwan of the Beautiful Gate who have being coming to their aid.
More pictures of the event:
