Determined to lift the physically challenged persons in Enugu State out of the shackles of despondency, wife of state governor, Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi has distributed 50 wheelchairs to disabled persons drawn from its 17 local government areas.
She charged them to be brave and activate their God-given potentials to attain greater heights irrespective of their situation.
The event, which held at the state Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development, witnessed an out-pouring of encomiums from the beneficiaries, who could not hold back their tears of joy in appreciation of the largesse from the first lady.
According to Mrs. Ugwuanyi, so many people have distinguished themselves in many fields and professions despite their physical predicaments, adding that the beneficiaries of her gesture should lift themselves out of despair, stigma and discrimination.
Her words: “Why is the lion addressed as the king of the jungle and the savannah? It is because the lion has a mentality of domination, you have to imbibe that mentality and the time is now. You don’t have to resort to a begging mentality.”
In a remark, the Commissioner for Gender and Social Development, Princess Peace Nnaji, praised Mrs. Ugwuanyi for her kind gesture towards the physically-challenged in the state, describing it as the first of its kind in the recent past.
Princess Nnaji noted that Enugu State is privileged to have a mother like Mrs. Ugwuanyi who has a compassionate heart towards the welfare of the less privileged in the state, adding that she had indeed written her name in the sands of time.
Speaking to one of the beneficiaries, Mr. Anthony Beluonwu thanked the first lady for bringing succour to the disabled persons in the state, promising that they would reciprocate by living up to the expectations of the government.
He, however, appealed to the government to assist them with entrepreneurial training and soft loans that will equip them with skills to establish small-scale businesses of their own rather than resort to begging for alms. (Vanguard)
