AGO IRETI Residents Smile Again As DAF, World Connect Refurbished Garri Factory

Founder DAF, Folajogun, Secretary Ago Ireti Mr. Oluwatimehin with Mr. Olajire rep Dr. Jasper flank with the beneficiaries

It was indeed a celebration moment at Ago Ireti Settlement ( Leper Colony) Oba-Ile road, Akure, the Ondo state capital today Thursday 11th, 2021 as Differently Able Foundation in partnership with World connect refurbished their Garri processing Industry with modern equipment, water running system and other facilities.

The project tagged #ProjectEquip was an initiative of Folajogun Akinlami, the CEO of Differently Abled Foundation, a foundation that catered for the needs of the less privilege in and outside the state. According to Folajogun Akinlami the need to re-establish the Garri processing industry at Ago Ireti became necessary during one of her visit to the leper colony, when she discovered that there only source of income breakdown during the Covid-19 pandemic, as people could not patronize them because of the lockdown.

Akinlami, said “they complained of lack of funds, lack of anything you can think of and that made me realize that there industry was no longer working, their revenues are no longer coming in. But now, everything has been refurbished, well painted, with running taps, with modern equipment.

Old machine for garri processing

The newly acquired grinding machine

“They are looking forward for more profit, they are looking forward to better partnership, people that have forgotten them long before now, can now start bringing their garri for processing because outsiders normally come here to process their garri and that gives them some source of income.

“Some people might be thinking that how can leppers be making garri for them, but there are some people among them that are dependants, some have wives, some have children, they are the ones in charge”.

“About their monthly stipends, it has not been constant now, also, about discrimination, there’s nothing anyone can do about it. Even their children make sure that taxis don’t drop them in front of here so that people will not stigmatize them. Some of them have their children living with them, some has children in the university”.

She noted that “I will advise people that want to help them to know that there are stages in which you can help them, not only bringing food here because you are asked to do so, they can be helped in a way that they will be self dependent, not only foods and clothes, there is more.

“They have children that needs scholarships to go to school, some of their children can be adopted for training, also the Ago Ireti skills acquisition can also be refurbished,” Akinlami said.

Dr. Jasper Adeleye Olusayero fondly called confirmed was the chairman of the event and he was ably represented by Mr. Akinsanmi Olajire. Speaking on behalf of his Boss, he applaud Differently Able Foundation (DAF) and World Connect on their initiative as they rebrand and renovate the factory, stating that it will now attract more people to the place, they will be able to develop them and make more income to cater for their needs. He pledge that Dr. Jasper and the group won’t stop in supporting people who have this kind of project just to make sure that the neglected communities were taken care of.

In appreciation, the Secretary of the settlement, Mr Tunji Oluwatimehin, commend the two partners describing there kind gesture as a very remarkable event in the history of the settlement which will linger on in their minds.

Oluwatimehin noted that “the engine we were using before broke down and that time, we were looking for money in order to survive, we thank the World Connect and DAF that did all these for us without knowing us.

“If we have two or three people like World Connect, this world would have been a good place to be, there are lots of people in this country that are wealthy, they speak in billions but find it very difficult to help.         

“We cannot reward you, only God can reward you, we pray that God in His infinite mercy will continue to be with World Connect and DAF for their assistance”