A Zamfara-based philanthropist, Abdulhafiz Umar Barau has offered scholarships to 21 Sahel College of Health Sciences and Advanced Studies students, in Gusau.
The scholarship was offered to the beneficiaries through the AUG Foundation, an NGO funded by the Philanthropist.
Presenting the payment receipt to the beneficiaries in Gusau on Friday, an official of the foundation, Abdul Bala Gusau said the gesture was part of the foundation’s commitment to assist in providing sound education in the state.
Bala Gusau said: Today, we disbursed a total of One Million and Fifty Thousand to 21 students in Sahel College of Health Sciences.
“Each among the 21 students was paid N50,000.
“This is to enable them to pay their school fees for the 2023/2024 academic session.
He said the gesture was aimed at reducing the prevailing economic hardship making it difficult for some students to pay their school fees.
According to him, the beneficiaries were drawn from financially challenged families, who could not pay their school fees due to economic challenges.
“You know this foundation is a non-profit charity foundation purposely to render a service to humanity.
“Our main target is orphans and less privileged persons”, he explained.
“This is in addition to payment of registration fees to the less privileged students in Abdu-Gusau Polytechnic Talata Mafara, Federal College of Education (Technical) Gusau as well as other intervention projects to various categories of vulnerable groups being implemented by the foundation.
Abdul Bala Gusau further said that the foundation donated financial assistance of N120,000 to a patient Isah Musa to enable him to undergo surgery in the hospital.
“Another patient Tanibu Abubakar was given N100,000 for medical treatment.
“The foundation also built two bedrooms to two vulnerable households, Bala Ali and Saminu Lawali respectively”, He explained.
He added that the foundation also donated N200,000 and 500 blocks to an NGO Action for Capacity Building (ACB) for the building of the Youths Empowerment Center.
Also speaking, the Director of the College, Nuhu Bashir commended the philanthropists and officials of the foundation for their support to the less privileged students.
All the beneficiaries are undergoing studies in various courses in the college, adding that most of them find it difficult to pay school fees.
A student, Faisal Sulaiman who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, described the gesture as a welcome development.
“We appreciate this gesture and we promise to concentrate on our studies,’’ he said.