Exclusive Interview: Sayyida Jamila Bala Explains Her Journey, the Foundation’s Mission and Its Challenges

Sayyida Jamila Bala responding to questions from journalists during an exclusive interview on the mission, activities and challenges of Gark...

Sayyida Jamila Bala responding to questions from journalists during an exclusive interview on the mission, activities and challenges of Garkuwar Sha’iran Birni da Kewaye Foundation.

The Founder of Garkuwar Sha’iran Birni da Kewaye Foundation, Sayyida Jamila Bala, has explained the motivation behind the establishment of the foundation, saying its primary objective is to empower women, orphans and other vulnerable members of society with vocational skills that can enable them to become self-reliant and support their families.

Sayyida Jamila, popularly known as Garkuwar Sha’iran Birni da Kewaye, made this known in an exclusive interview with a team of journalists, including a correspondent of DAILY STRUGGLE, during which she spoke extensively about her background, the circumstances that led to the establishment of the foundation, its activities and achievements, as well as the challenges confronting it.

Why the Foundation Was Established

Sayyida Jamila explained that her work as a teacher and healthcare practitioner, coupled with her involvement in the pharmaceutical retail business, has afforded her the opportunity to visit different communities and observe the socio-economic conditions of women and other vulnerable members of society.

She said these experiences inspired her to consider ways of helping women acquire vocational skills that would enable them to become economically self-reliant, provide for their children and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

According to her, the lack of sustainable livelihoods and economic independence is one of the challenges confronting some women, particularly in the face of prevailing economic pressures and the increasing cost of supporting households.

She said the foundation was established to provide women with opportunities to acquire practical skills that can enable them to earn a livelihood and improve the welfare of their families.

Empowering Women and Supporting Orphans

The foundation’s founder said another major factor that strengthened her resolve to establish the organisation was her encounters with orphans and elderly people struggling to survive without sustainable sources of income.

She recalled meeting some elderly people who resorted to begging for their daily needs. After speaking with them, she invited them to the foundation to acquire vocational skills.

According to her, some of the beneficiaries have since acquired skills in areas such as the production of body creams and have stopped relying on begging for their livelihood.

She added that some beneficiaries have gone a step further by producing goods and supplying them to shops for sale, describing the development as one of the foundation’s notable achievements.

750 Beneficiaries Trained in the First Phase

Sayyida Jamila said the foundation initially planned to train only 100 people, but the overwhelming response from members of the public seeking to participate eventually increased the number to approximately 750.

She explained that although the foundation was not prepared to accommodate such a large number of beneficiaries, she found it difficult to turn people away after hearing about the circumstances that had brought them to seek assistance.

She said the foundation consequently proceeded with the programme and successfully trained and graduated 750 beneficiaries in its first phase.

She stressed that the foundation’s intervention is not primarily centred on giving beneficiaries start-up capital, but on equipping them with practical skills through which they can earn a living and become self-reliant.

Founder Initially Financed the Foundation

Sayyida Jamila disclosed that when the foundation was established, she did not initially receive financial assistance from any individual or organisation. She said she relied on proceeds from her salary and business to finance the foundation’s activities.

She explained that the foundation later began receiving support from individuals and organisations, including ADC, which she said contributed to the initiative before the commencement of its activities.

She also acknowledged the contribution of Alhaji Shu’aibu Mai Canter, whom she described as one of the individuals who have played a significant role in supporting the foundation.

According to her, Alhaji Shu’aibu has also pledged to continue supporting beneficiaries who complete the vocational training by helping them establish themselves and put their newly acquired skills into practice.

She further disclosed that Bola Ige, together with his brother, Mai Elsa, provided scholarships for 20 beneficiaries who had completed secondary school and wished to pursue further education.

Funding Shortfall Remains a Major Challenge

Despite the achievements recorded by the foundation, Sayyida Jamila identified inadequate funding as one of its major challenges.

She said that following the successful training of the initial 750 beneficiaries, many more people continued to approach the foundation seeking opportunities to acquire vocational skills. However, she explained that her personal financial capacity could no longer sustain the growing number of applicants.

She said the foundation was therefore compelled to introduce a ₦1,000 registration fee for prospective trainees, while the foundation continues to provide the materials required for the vocational training.

However, she noted that even the modest registration fee remains unaffordable for some prospective beneficiaries.

According to her, approximately 200 people are currently participating in the programme, while about 350 others are waiting to enrol because they cannot afford the registration fee.

She disclosed that Alhaji Halliru Dan Amadu recently supported orphaned beneficiaries by purchasing 100 registration forms for them, thereby enabling them to participate in the programme.

Appeal for Support

Sayyida Jamila appealed to the government, traditional rulers, philanthropists, wealthy individuals and other stakeholders to support the foundation and enable it to expand its programmes.

She explained that a significant proportion of the foundation’s beneficiaries are orphans and women who bear responsibility for their households.

She said greater financial and institutional support would enable the foundation to reach more people and provide them with vocational training that can improve their livelihoods and reduce their dependence on others.

Why She Is Known as “Sha’ira”

Explaining the origin of the title Sha’ira, by which she is widely known, Sayyida Jamila said she is a poet and performer of devotional poetry in praise of Prophet Muhammad (S), which earned her the title Sha’ira.

She said she has several popular devotional poems, particularly one known as “Ranar Tsayuwa”, which has become closely associated with her.

According to her, she is frequently invited to gatherings where audiences specifically request that she perform the poem.

Sayyida Jamila said the overarching objective of Garkuwar Sha’iran Birni da Kewaye Foundation is to create opportunities for women, orphans and other vulnerable members of society to acquire vocational skills that can enable them to become self-reliant, improve their livelihoods and contribute to the wellbeing of their families and communities.