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Back To School - Comfort Alhamdu's Story

Back To School

Comfort Alhamdu, 21 is orphaned. It was tough growing up without her parents’. Her Uncle did his best within his resources, but she knew she could have had better opportunities if her parents were alive. “I lost my mother when I was two years old, I grew up to only meet my uncle and he does not have the finance to carter for my education”.

Comfort was 11, when the ActionAid LRP was launched in her community – Ungunwan Rimi, though young, she was considered as beneficiary of the livelihood empowerment programme based on her being an orphan. Comfort received 2 pigs, it was more than pets to her, she was told the pigs can be reared and the proceeds used to fund her education.

Comfort took that information seriously; She does not want her education to be interrupted, so she begged her uncle to take care of the pigs and save the proceeds for her education. The pigs multiplied and becomes useful when there is an urgent household need as well as educational needs: “My story changed when I received the 2 pigs, my Uncle helped me grow the pigs to 10 pigs, we always sell the pigs to buy my school books, said Comfort, noting that “during my Senior Secondary School Examinations, WAEC AND NECO, my Uncle sold 6 pigs and used the proceed to register for my examination, and I passed with more than 5 credits”

“I will always be thankful to ActionAid and Fahimta for salvaging me from poverty and giving me the opportunity to be who I am today, now am I am looking forward to going to the University. This may not be possible without the empowerment” Comfort notes, thankfully.

Nehemiah Ungunwan Rimi, 22, also an orphan. Nehemiah adopted the name of the community- Ungunwan Rimi, as surname. Nehemiah rarely mingled with his peer, the loss of his parents still hurts him fear for the future: “I was very young in 2010 when Actionaid through Fahimta gave me 2 goats, my guardian helped to rare the goat and they keep multiplying and we sell when the need arises especially when it has to do with health or education; Nehemiah said.

“It has changed my life; I can’t take it for granted. I can now mingle between children that have parent and I feel comfortable, this was possible because of the empowerment I got from Actionaid through Fahimta all thanks to Fahimta and ActionAid” said Nehemiah