A foundation, Peace Revival and Reconciliation Foundation of Nigeria, on Monday donated assorted foodstuffs to some women living with HIV/AIDS in Rigasa area of Kaduna.
The Chairman of the foundation, Pastor Yohanna Buru, while handing over the foodstuffs, said the move was to ease the women’s plight as they perform the Ramadan fast.
The foodstuffs included bags of maize and millets.
According to him, the gesture will also strengthen and support them to devote more time in prayers for peace and stability in the country.
He used the occasion to urge Nigerians to work towards ending the nation’s security challenges, while also praying for God’s intervention.
Buru noted that apart from the rise in the cost of foodstuffs, banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, terrorism, COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession had brought untold hardship on Nigerians.
“This is why we supported these women with grains to cushion their suffering during the Ramadan,” he said.
The Christian cleric said the foundation had also distributed foodstuffs to other indigents in Kaduna state, adding that the Ramadan period should be utilised to boost the relationship between Christians and Muslims in the country.
He, therefore, called on wealthy individuals, corporate organisations and groups to help women living with HIV/AIDS, emphasising that majority of the women had infected children.
Responding, Hajiya Aisha Usman, the leader of Muslim women living with HIV/AIDS in Kaduna, appreciated the foundation for the donation.
She described the Ramadan season as tough for people living with the disease, adding that the donation would put smiles on their faces.
According to her, most of them are widows left to cater for orphans and living in rented houses.
She added that most of their children had become malnourished as they could not access proper feeding and still had to contend with stigma.
“We face stigma in our daily lives despite the awareness of people on that,” she said.
Aisha called on Islamic organisations to also extend support to women living with HIV/AIDS to lessen the burden on them and their children. (NAN)
