First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, through the office of the Vice‑President’s wife, on Saturday, distributed cash grants and livelihood equipment to more than 1,000 petty traders and residents of Karon Majigi and the Physically Challenged Colony in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Nana Shettima, representing the First Lady at a ceremony in Karon Majigi, said the distribution was part of a broader package of assistance already delivered by the Renewed Hope Initiative, an arm of Oluremi Tinubu’s office.
Recipients received a mix of productive assets, including 39 sewing machines, 13 grinding machines, 35 water pumps, 45 hair dryers, 16 power chillers and five three‑wheeled tricycles.
In addition, about 1,000 beneficiaries in Latin Majigi were given N50,000 each to support small businesses.
“The empowerment is not just for women; it’s for women, youth, men, everybody,” Farida Sulaiman, the All Progressives Congress (APC) women’s leader in the FCT, said at the event.
Organizers also announced that construction of a new secondary school in the community—spearheaded by the Renewed Hope Initiative in partnership with the Federal Capital Territory Administration—has begun and “will be completed soon,” according to the first lady’s representative.
Minister of State for the FCT Mariya Mahmoud, minister of state, described the distribution as consistent with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which she said prioritizes welfare, inclusion and empowerment.
“The empowerment of physically challenged persons is not merely an act of charity; it is an investment in human capacity, self‑reliance and sustainable development,” she said.
“This is teaching someone how to fish rather than giving you a fish to eat,” Zainab Ibrahim, the party’s deputy national women leader, said.
Community leaders welcomed the assistance while pressing for further investments in infrastructure and services.
Yunusa Bako, district head of Karon Majigi, thanked the first lady and requested follow‑up support for road rehabilitation, reliable water supply, additional teachers and completion of stalled school projects, including a community school paused during the COVID‑19 pandemic.
At the Physically Challenged Colony on Airport Road, beneficiaries said the distribution was part of broader efforts to improve accessibility and opportunity for people with disabilities.
Esther Akwu, speaking for beneficiaries with disabilities, thanked the first lady’s office for prior distributions—including food donations—and urged continued attention to the community’s needs.
The ceremony featured cultural presentations and the formal handing over of traditional gifts and a portrait marking the first lady’s earlier visit.
