By Iliya Kure
Fatu Sulei, 32-year-old widow residing in Billiri, northeast Nigeria, will not quickly forget the 2021 Christmas. It was a memorable one, filled with joy and many reasons to ‘give thanks to God’. Hours to Christmas Fatu received gifts of what to cook for her three children, as well as a wrapper, to sew a dress for herself.
Fatu, who was thinking of what to cook on Christmas day, was full of Joy when she got an invitation from Community Life Transformation Ministry (CLTM), on 22rd December, to receive Christmas support alongside 29 other widows.
“I am full of gratitude to God, and to you for providing these items to us,” Mrs Sulei told officials of CLTM, the Christian Ministry that presented her with a bag of Rice, Spaghetti, Salt, Maggi seasoning and wrapper for the Christmas celebration.
“This will greatly help me and my children in the celebration of Christmas. We were disturbed on how the Christmas would be for us. My kids kept saying we don’t have rice for the Christmas. But see how God worked it out through this Ministry,” she told AFRICA PRIME NEWS.
Fatu, who lost her husband three years ago, is a fulltime housewife with three children – the first is seven years old, the second, six years and the last, two years.
Little Support Big Impact
CLTM is a Christian organisation that is progressively empowering and touching the lives of the needy in Tangale community, northeast of Nigeria.
The Ministry has been doing that through provision of basic life support items like food and clothing, as well as provision of financial support for education, business and spiritual growth.
The Ministry has over time been consistent in supporting its target groups, mainly widows, orphans and pastors.
CLTM also runs workshops where it equips young people through a mentoring programme. It provides educational and socio-economic empowerment in an effort to create flourishing communities.
Last July, the group distributed grains to widows and orphans in Billiri worth over N200,000.
In August, it distributed food items and cash to 55 pastors in Tangale communities of Billiri and Akko Local Government Areas of Gombe State.
During the 2021 Ramadan, bags of millet were distributed among Muslim faithful and bags of rice were given to them during the Sallah celebration.
The Ministry also disburses educational scholarships, covering full tuition fees, to 13 University students under its “MAFEELDA Scholars” programme – all the beneficiaries are classified ‘under-privileged’ individuals.
In the last two years, CLTM gave out over N1,000,000.00 as scholarship to 15 orphans towards their tuition fees.
Kefas Ezra Audu, a 200 Level Medical Student of Gombe State University, an orphan and recipient of the students’ scholarship scheme told AFRICA PRIME NEWS that he has been receiving the support for two consecutive years.
“I am one of the 15 students that are benefitting from the educational scholarship scheme,” he explained.
“In 2021, I was given N50,000.00 for the second year in a row, to support my school fees,” he said.
Pastor Samaila Kallabi, who was among the recipients of the support in August told AFRICA PRIME NEWS, that the support was timely, “it was during the raining season, you know things are usually difficult at that time – it was a bit difficult for me too, my food store had depleted and I had no single rice in my house,”
Pastor Kallabi who said he has known the organisation for some time now, expressed appreciation for coming to the aid of Pastors in Tangale land, especially in the time of their need.
“You know, when you are in Ministry you need support to help fill up gaps.” He added.
So far, CLTM assisted 700 women in 10 years, and 150 pastors in 2 years. It also gave out over N1,000,000.00 as scholarship to 15 orphans towards their tuition fees.
Partnership and Sponsorship
To effectively carry out these activities, the Ministry enjoys support from individuals and bodies within and outside Nigeria. Its sister partner is the USA-based African Centre for Mentorship (ACM).
CLTM identifies one of its foreign sponsors as Christian Assembly Church in Friend, Nebraska, USA. Pastor of the Church, Eric Black, served as missionary in Billiri, northeast Nigeria, between 2012 and 2018.
To highlight it in form of appreciation, shortly after undertaking one of its intervention activities in August last year, the Ministry wrote on its website, “CLTM/ACM distributed rice and funds worth more than half a million Naira to 55 pastors. Glory be to God.
“This project was sponsored by the Friend Christian Assembly in Friend, NE. They sent us $1,000 and someone added $100. This was exchanged at N495 plus the N5,500 CBN bonus of N5 to any $1 withdrawal. This totalled N550,000.”
Speaking with AFRICA PRIME NEWS, President of Ministry, Rev. Andele Tadi, said CLTM/ACM is hopeful that beneficiaries of its programmes, mainly the youth, will be developed and well-equipped to mentor and develop others in the future.
Andele expressed appreciation to sponsors and supporters of the Ministry’s projects, saying “thanks to all our sponsors for their love and generosity. Thanks for helping in shaping the lives of the future leaders of Africa.”
Also speaking, Director of the Ministry, Mr. Sabastine Timothy, said they target the July/August period to help people break out of the circle of poverty, knowing very well that majority of people, especially the widows, would have exhausted what they stored by the rainy season.
According to him, the poor are forced to borrow at that period from neighbours or business persons who would usually demand four or five times the amount in repayment after the harvest.
Mr. Timothy called on well-wishers to join the ministry in alleviating the needs of the orphans and widows, saying the space is wide, no support is too small in helping the needy. We need to join hands and do our best,” he said.
