No fewer than 100 persons with disabilities in Gombe State have received hand-pedal tricycles through a joint intervention by the Family Trust and Care Foundation and the Beautiful Gate Handicapped People Centre, in a move aimed at improving mobility, independence and social inclusion.
Speaking during the presentation on Saturday, the Chief Executive Officer of the Family Trust and Care Foundation, Zaynab Gwamna, said the initiative was designed to restore dignity and create opportunities for persons living with disabilities.
Zaynab is the wife of All Progressives Congress Gombe gubernatorial candidate for 2027 election.
She described the donation as more than the distribution of assistive devices, stressing that mobility was key to education, healthcare, employment and active participation in society.
“Today marks another significant milestone in our collective commitment to promoting inclusion, dignity and equal opportunities for persons with special needs,” Gwamna said.
She added, “This initiative is more than the presentation of mobility aids. It is about restoring independence, opening doors to opportunities, and reaffirming the belief that every individual deserves the chance to live with dignity and participate fully in society.”
According to her, for many beneficiaries, a wheelchair represents freedom and a pathway to a better quality of life.
“For many of our beneficiaries, a wheelchair represents freedom. It means access to education, healthcare, employment, social engagement and a better quality of life. It is a tool that transforms lives and gives hope where limitations once existed,” she said.
Gwamna said the foundation remained committed to humanitarian interventions in health, education, food relief and the empowerment of women, youths and persons with disabilities.
She praised the Beautiful Gate Handicapped People Centre for its longstanding commitment to disability inclusion through rehabilitation, advocacy, education and skills acquisition programmes.
“Together, our two organisations have demonstrated that when vision meets commitment, transformation becomes possible. This partnership is built not only on shared values but also on a shared track record of service, resilience and measurable impact,” she stated.
She noted that the intervention aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals on reducing inequalities, promoting good health and building inclusive communities.
Addressing the beneficiaries, Gwamna urged them not to define themselves by their limitations.
“You are valued, respected and supported. Continue pursuing your dreams with confidence and determination. Do not see yourselves through the lens of limitation, but through the lens of possibility, strength and purpose,” she said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Gombe State Commission of Persons with Disabilities, Dr Ishaku Adamu, commended the foundation for what he described as a consistent commitment to the welfare of persons with disabilities.
“What you are doing for persons with disabilities is unquantifiable. There is no intervention, no matter how small, that she carries out without ensuring persons with disabilities benefit from it,” Adamu said.
He added, “The house of Saudauna has not forsaken those with disabilities in everything they do. You can imagine what will happen when she assumes the office of the wife of the Governor of Gombe State.”
Adamu said the donation would significantly improve the wellbeing, mobility and quality of life of the beneficiaries while encouraging other individuals, organisations and philanthropists to emulate the initiative.