BY Joseph Edegbo :
Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong has commended the Support Women Initiatives to Transform Children (SWITCH) Foundation for its tremendous impact in touching the lives of many under-privileged women, children and young girls in Plateau State.
The Governor was speaking while recieving Mrs Zainab Tsok, Coordinator of SWITCH Foundation at the Government House Rayfield Jos during a courtesy visit.
Lalong was told that SWITCH Foundation which is the brainchild of Plateau First Lady Mrs. Regina Lalong, has continued to assist women with funding, training and facilities to enable them carry out businesses and farming which have yielded positive results.
Mrs. Tsok said thousands of women have been removed from poverty due to the empowerment given to them by SWITCH Foundation which has enabled them overcome the challenges of widowhood, health and social issues.
She said the girl child in Plateau State has also been given proper attention through ICT literacy, counselling and mentorship and other efforts of the SWITCH Foundation which target rural girls and youths throughout the State.
Zainab also stated that the Foundation has also carried out advocacy and rehabilitation of young persons affected by drugs with tremendous success where many have been returned to good standing in the society.
She however explained that the Foundation which is a nonprofit organisation has a lot of challenges of funding and will need the support of the Government and well spirited individuals to enable it carry out its mandate.
She thanked the Governor for his support so far and solicited for more collaboration and support in the next phase of its activities which require expansion, consolidation and the movement to a permanent facility.
Governor Lalong appreciated the efforts of the SWITCH Foundation which he said has greatly assisted Government to address the plight of the poor and vulnerable.
He promised to support the Foundation in every way possible and also directed relevant Government MDAs to engage with SWITCH with a view to ensuring that some of the challenges are addressed.
He commended the Founder, First Lady Regina Lalong for not only deploying her personal resources for the success of the Foundation, but also keying into the activities of the Future Assured Programme of Nigeria’s First Lady Aisha Buhari.
