A Maiduguri-based philanthropist, Alhaji Ali Tallafi, has called on individuals and organisations to support widows and poor families whose livelihoods have been affected by prolonged insurgency in the Northeast.
Tallafi, founder of the Ali Tallafi Foundation, made the call in a statement issued to journalists in Maiduguri.
He said the current economic hardship in the country, coupled with the loss of livelihoods caused by years of insecurity, had left vulnerable groups, particularly widows and poor families, facing serious survival challenges.
“This is a critical period for most families and it is more serious for the vulnerable, the poor and widows. The insurgency has affected their means of livelihood,” he said.
According to him, many affected families require only modest support to rebuild their lives, including assistance with accommodation, small businesses, petty trading and food.
Tallafi disclosed that his foundation had commenced interventions for about a dozen beneficiaries in Maiduguri, including widows, water vendors and petty traders.
He appealed to other individuals, organisations and well-meaning members of the public to support the initiative or establish similar interventions to assist vulnerable communities affected by conflict across the Northeast.
The philanthropist said his personal experience of growing up among poor and vulnerable people gave him a better understanding of the challenges facing disadvantaged families.
Tallafi, who was born in Maiduguri in August 1999, attended Ngomari Gana Primary School in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He said his background and experience of the struggles faced by vulnerable people inspired the establishment of the Ali Tallafi Foundation and its interventions aimed at supporting people in need.