BAF Celebrates Children’s Day, Calls for More Support to Jigawa Children
From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The Baba Azumi Foundation (BAF) in Jigawa State with support from Actionaid has sponsored rural children from three local government areas to participate in the state-wide International Children’s Day celebration held at Malam Aminu Kano Triangle in Dutse, the state capital.
The foundation, which focuses on child development, empowerment of people living with disabilities (PWDs), women, and youth, selected schoolchildren from villages in Miga, Gwiwa, and Kaugama Local Government Areas and brought them to the capital to attend the event organized by the state government and Funded by Actionaid
Speaking at the event, the Foundation’s founder, Barrister Aisha, who was represented by Miss Fatima Aliyu, the Programme Manager for Local Rice Production, said the initiative was aimed at bridging the gap between rural communities and the government by giving rural children the opportunity to interact with their leaders and peers from urban areas.
Miss Aliyu explained that this was the first time many of the children were visiting the city, noting that the experience would broaden their knowledge, boost their curiosity, and inspire them through interaction with urban schoolchildren.
“In the past, we organized Children’s Day celebrations within their localities. But this time, we decided to bring them here to see how the day is celebrated at the state level, meet leaders, and mix with other students from urban schools,” she said.
“As you can see, they are all happy. They saw the Deputy Governor, the Secretary to the State Government, the Commissioner of Education, and many other top government officials—something they’ve never experienced before,” she added.
Miss Aliyu emphasized that such exposure could significantly contribute to the children’s personal development, particularly in education and leadership, preparing them to become responsible future leaders in Jigawa and Nigeria as a whole.
She also highlighted that the Foundation’s activities include capacity-building programs for women, youth, and PWDs, as well as skills acquisition training and efforts to strengthen the connection between the government and citizens, especially those in rural areas.
