In fulfilment of its commitment to its Corporate Social Responsibility objectives and derived assistance to its operational communities and to also mark this year’s World Humanitarian Day, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc visited and donated foodstuffs and other items to orphanage homes in Lagos as well as the Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano axis.
The orphanage homes visited by the construction giant were Adonai Children’s Home, Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa Orphanage and Premier School, Nasarawa Children’s Home, and Green Pastures Home, all along its Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road project corridor, and Bab-Es-Salam Home, Love Orphanage Home, and Real Woman Foundation and Home in Lagos State.
World Humanitarian Day serves as a platform to raise awareness about the challenges faced by humanitarian workers and the importance of international solidarity in addressing global social crises, while also emphasizing the need to protect civilians and provide aid in conflict zones and disaster-stricken areas. The theme for the World Humanitarian Day 2023 is #NoMatterWhat, according to the United Nations. In a world beset by challenges, #NoMatterWhat speaks eloquently about the extent to which humanitarian workers go, in an often dangerous and violent world, to ensure that they alleviate human suffering.
When Julius Berger visited Adonai Children’s Home, the Coordinator of the Orphanage, El Jessu Saint Mathias, expressed his excitement, saying the donations would go a long way in alleviating the basic needs of the orphanage.
“We are very grateful to Julius Berger for this expression of love extended to us. We are all aware of the current situation of the economy and everybody knows how food has become very expensive, but God has been faithfully using people and organisations like Julius Berger to bless us.
“We are happy that on this day of world charity we are receiving these generous and reassuring donations from Julius Berger. We thank the Management of the company for this act of kindness,” he said.
At the Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa Orphanage and Premier School, Kaduna State, the management and students of the school commended Julius Berger for the donations.
The President of the Orphanage, Hajiya Rabi Musa Saulawa, who traced the history of Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa to Nigeria’s First Republic, said it was founded in 1963 and opened the orphanage in Kaduna on 1st December 1964 with take-off property and a £500 take-off donation by the then Premier of Northern Nigeria and Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello. Since its founding till date, over 3,000 orphans have successfully passed through Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa Orphanage and its schools, she said.
She further stated that this was not the first time Julius Berger was making such donations for the wellbeing of the children, adding, “This beautiful edifice you see standing tall here was made possible by Julius Berger’s Corporate Social Responsibility action.”
Hajiya Saulawa recalled that the JMA Orphanage, its office accommodation, and school buildings over time fell into a deplorable state of dilapidation due to paucity of funds as the institution was dependent on the donations of kind-hearted individuals and the little income from the schools, which was grossly inadequate to carry out any major renovations or successfully run the institution.
“The renovation works were singlehandedly undertaken by Julius Berger as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility. They renovated the whole complex and gave our school a befitting new structure,” she said.
She assured Julius Berger that the donations would be used for the welfare of the children of the Home, saying, “We recognize and commend Julius Berger for all the good works they do. We are happy today that the company is here for the second time with these donations. This is such a compassionate act of kindness, and we are extremely thankful.”
The Principal of Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa Orphanage and Premier School, Helen Peter Arlek, also expressed her gratitude to Julius Berger for counting the orphanage as one of its recipients for this year’s day of charity. She lauded Julius Berger for all its efforts and commitments towards the wellbeing of the children.
“We express our profound gratitude to Julius Berger. Our children would be so happy for this donation, and I am very sure that they would have prepared truckload of prayers for the company. We pray that the company keeps growing bigger and bigger beyond human expectations. Thank you JB,” she said.
At the Nassarawa Children’s Home at Medical Avenue, Kano State, the Principal of the orphanage, Aisha Sanu Kurawa, thanked Julius Berger for the timely donations, saying the company “touched our hearts again with these donations”.
“This is coming at a point when we really need food items to help feed our kids. Our children are so grateful, you can tell from the happiness on their faces. Thank you very much Julius Berger,” she said, praying God to constantly expand the company’s presence and bless everything it sets out to do.
At the Green Pastures Home at Sabon Gari, Kano State, the children were extremely elated to see Julius Berger at the Orphanage.
The President/Founder of the Orphanage, Chaplain Comfort Williams, who was present to receive the donations, danced and sang praises to Julius Berger for visiting the orphanage for the first time and for donating foodstuffs to the orphanage. She assured Julius Berger that the donations would be used for the welfare of the children of the Home.
“We recognize and commend Julius Berger for all the good works they do. We hear and read the news, and we see all the impact the company makes in our schools and communities. We are happy to have a company like Julius Berger in our society, and we are happy to have JB as part of Green Pastures Home,” she said.
Chaplain Williams explained that the Home was founded on March 15, 2001 and currently has 50 children and over 30,000 in the community that it reaches out to both with regard to education and health issues.
On his part, the Head of the Julius Berger Abuja-Kano Road CSR Team, Engr. Yusuf Ibrahim, said that showing care and being humane to societal needs has always been the corporate culture of the company.
He admonished the Founders and Managements of all the orphanages to continue to take good care of the children because as caregivers, God will always have a way to reward them richly.
At the Bab-Es-Salam Home at GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, Mr. Michael Ashofor of the Julius Berger’s Corporate Communications Department said the essence of the exercise was to identify with the plight of the underprivileged while trying to assuage their diverse burdens.
The head of the Home, Hassan Tahir, thanked Julius Berger for remembering the Home while the Assistant Head, Nurudeen Bakare, on behalf of the children and management, prayed God to bless and strengthen Julius Berger Nigeria Plc for its kind gesture.
At the Love Orphanage Home in Lagos, Ashofor highlighted the great job that orphanages do by catering for the needy and deprived of the society, saying Julius Berger supports such endeavours as part of the company’s social commitments.
“As we observe this exercise here, similar ones organised by Julius Berger Nigeria are simultaneously taking place in different locations across the country,” Ashofor said.
Receiving the items after showing members of Julius Berger team around the orphanage, the Chief Operating Officer of Real Woman Foundation and Home, Temitope Ogunleye, said, “Just as we shelter children and women with love and hope, so has Julius Berger comforted us with more love and hope. We all at Love Home appreciate and will always remember you in our prayers.
“On behalf of the Founder, Pastor Nike Adeyemi, it is a big thank you to Julius Berger from all of us, the children being rehabilitated, the victims of child trafficking and all that we care for, we pray for you and we thank you.”
