SALAMATU USMAN SUCCESS STORY

Salamatu Usman a 48 years old caregiver who is a member of Tashan Danfulani, one of the communities of intervention in Biu Local government area of Borno state whose means of livelihood before receiving grant was to hawk petty food items around General hospital to feed her household, she is married to a Farmer who can only seasonally farm for their survival, Salamatu has 5 children by birth but adopted 3 more whom are orphaned as result of the insurgency. One of the cases that aided her being a beneficiary with IDS was the case of Hauwa Musa whom is the only daughter of Musa the driver who died in the course of his duty, the story revealed that he was shot on his way to a village by Boko-Haram, the shock of his death led to the death of the wife, leaving their 3 children. 3 years ago, Salamatu was asked to cater for the children being the eldest aunt.

“They gave me 2000 naira to start my hawking business, I took them in and since then i have been their caregiver catering for them as my strength could carry, I started selling petty food items (spices) and did home chores for others in order to make ends meet”.

Salamatu’s niece, Hauwa is 17 years today and engaged to be married after her birthday this year, the family said they were  allowing the marriage to be after her birthday to make sure Hauwa is above 17 to avoid Child abuse, as the family asking for her hand in marriage also agreed to wait. She also said she never regretted adopting these (3) Children as they are just like her own children even though it posed a lot of challenges in the past, she endured and believed that one day they would be a source of reward to her.

CHALLENGE-(WHAT IS THE ISSUE)

I really faced a lot of challenges adopting my younger brother’s children about 3 of them and 5 of mine adding up to 8 children, responsibilities increased as catering for my children as well as my brother’s was very difficult.

1. EDUCATION:

I never want people to notice the difference between my own children and their cousins so I tried as much as possible to support those I could in school. About 4 of them including my children and the other 4 stayed at home helping me out in my hawking business.  Payment of school fees also affected me as even the 4 enrolled in school sometimes were sent back home due to the fact that we couldn’t pay school fees or meet up with the school materials they needed in school.

1. FEEDING:

Feeding was a challenge initially for my household, as I had additional children. Feeding became a very big problem, we hardly ate twice in a day, and there were days we didn’t even eat as there was nothing to eat so we would only drink tea and sleep.

1. SHELTER:

Accommodating my adopted children wasn’t easy. I had to share my little room and that of my children’s with them. They also didn’t have clothes and it wasn’t easy getting money to also buy detergent and soap to wash the one’s I had to borrow from my children to give them but we all somehow managed.

WHAT WE DID (INTERVENTION):

1. 28,000 naira was given to me as grant six months ago
2. Training of beneficiary on general business
3. Establishment of a savings association for beneficiaries
4. Foster parenting training
5. Mentoring and coaching on business

OUTCOME- IMMEDIATE RESPONSE:

1. All my children which also includes the orphans are all in schools with school fees fully paid
2. All my children have school materials for their use in school now.
3. We can now feed for at least 3-4 times a day
4. I have progressed from hawking to my petty table trading and selling of provisions and food items such as groundnut and palm oil.
5. I can now buy clothes and detergents, and have an expanded home to accommodate my children and adopted children.

TESTIMONIAL (QUOTES FROM THE BENEFICIARY):

“Alhamdullilahi” am grateful to God and to IDS and Street Child for being supportive through livelihood grant; I have been worried as at how to survive with these children but the support from street child through IDS has greatly reduced the problems I face and challenges with the children.