By Lamara Garba, Kano
For 16 years, Zuladaini Attahir’s life was marked by pain, poverty and dependence after a spinal cord injury left him unable to continue the physical work that once sustained him.
His two wives eventually left, his home deteriorated, and his ageing mother, Rakiya Ibrahim, became his only caregiver. Struggling to feed herself and her son, she sometimes travelled to neighbouring villages to beg for food.
But after years of hardship, help has arrived for the family through the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN), which has rebuilt Zuladaini’s home and provided him with an opportunity to earn an income.
The intervention, led by WOFAN’s Founder, Director and Global Advocate, Hajiya Dr Salamatu Garba, also includes food assistance and a solar-powered system that will enable Zuladaini to earn money by charging mobile phones.
The initiative is designed not only to ease the family’s immediate suffering but also to give him a chance to regain some financial independence despite his disability.
Beyond Charity: Creating a Path to Independence
For Zuladaini and his mother, the support goes beyond the provision of basic necessities.
The rebuilt home offers improved shelter, while the solar installation creates an opportunity for a small business that could reduce his dependence on others.
The intervention also extended to the wider Warwade community in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
WOFAN commissioned a borehole with more than six water collection points and connected the water supply directly to Zuladaini’s residence.
The organisation also inaugurated five community groups—four women’s groups and one men’s group—to participate in empowerment programmes covering capacity building, financial inclusion and livelihood development.
Beneficiaries Recall Previous Interventions
At the commissioning ceremony, Dr Garba was represented by the District Head of Aujara, Alhaji Aminu Dan Mallam.
The Chairman of the Association of Persons with Disabilities in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area, Mallam Adamu Abdullahi, commended WOFAN for its support, recalling previous assistance that included 30 bags of fertiliser and farming equipment for association members.
Sadiya Ibrahim, Chairperson of the Small-Scale Traders Association in Birnin Kudu, said the organisation had previously provided rice and start-up capital that helped members establish businesses.
Similarly, Aminu Siraj, Chairman of the Logistics Operators and Tricycle Riders Association, said tricycles provided through WOFAN had improved members’ livelihoods, with proceeds saved in their group account.
The accounts highlight the organisation’s efforts to combine humanitarian assistance with income-generating activities and community infrastructure.
A Mother’s Burden Eases
Zuladaini expressed gratitude to WOFAN, Dr Garba, those who brought his plight to public attention, and the traditional leaders and community members who supported him.
His mother also expressed appreciation for the intervention, praying for blessings for those who helped ease the burden she had carried for years.
For Rakiya, who had remained beside her son through prolonged hardship, the support offers some relief from the daily struggle to provide food and care.
For Zuladaini, the prospect of earning money from the phone-charging business offers an opportunity to rebuild part of the independence he lost after his injury.
Disability, Poverty and the Need for Support
Zuladaini’s experience underscores the challenges faced by people living with disabilities, particularly those without reliable income or adequate family and social support.
His circumstances also draw attention to the burden carried by elderly parents who become the primary caregivers of adult children living with severe disabilities.
While government has a central responsibility to provide social protection and accessible support services, interventions by civil society organisations can help address urgent needs and create opportunities for vulnerable households.
WOFAN’s intervention in Warwade combines shelter, food, access to water and livelihood support. Its long-term impact will depend partly on whether Zuladaini can sustain his business and whether the community groups can translate their formation into lasting economic benefits.
For now, the rebuilt home and solar-powered business offer a fresh opportunity to a man whose life had been constrained by years of hardship.
For his mother, the intervention brings relief after years of carrying the responsibility largely alone.
And for the Warwade community, the borehole and empowerment groups offer additional resources that could support livelihoods beyond a single household.
Zuladaini’s story is a reminder that practical assistance can help restore dignity and open new possibilities for people pushed to the margins by disability and poverty.