APPRECIATIONS AND VOTE OF THANKS

FOR A SUCCESSFUL KWANDALA FOUNDATION AGM2016/10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

Assalam alaikum to all.

KWANDALA FOUNDATION AGM2016/10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, a 3-Day colourful, humanitarian extravaganza has come and gone, leaving in its wake nostalgic memories, jubilation, laughter and smiles, and so much richness in friendship, philanthropy and that spirit of giving.

This is a "Special Thank You all" message to Kwandalites, our Invited Guests, well wishers and all those who donated in one way or another for the successful execution of THE KWANDALA FOUNDATION AGM2016/10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS.

What many thought was impossible to organize and execute has been achieved bi iznillLaah. Yes, true thanks and praises are due to Allaah SWT Alone, Who Made this feat possible for us.

So many hills, mountains, summits... So many valleys, depths gorges... Pessimisms, negativity, disbelief... Dark days and even darker and sleepless nights... Tests, trials, tribulations... Forced discouragement upon minds... But faith in possibilities and hope in Allaah... Has seen us become victorious... In the face of adversity and disenchantment.

Kwandalites united despite their differences at individual level and engagement frequencies to win gold medal in a relay race nobody gave them a chance. We are Kwandalites and nobody can deny us Allaah's Grace, Mercy and Victory. AlhamdulilLaaah!

Special thanks to all members, most especially Chairmen, Chairpersons and members of each of the 2 Committees and their 23-24 Sub-Committees that worked tirelessly day and night, weeks into months as one single entity towards achieving the goals and aspirations of the Foundation.

Successfully executing this 10th Year Anniversary project, despite all the challenges we faced, shows that with planning, strategizing, dedication, commitment, sacrifice, unity, cooperation and a never give up or be defeated attitude among other obstacling elements, anything can be done.

Kwandalites, men, women with hearts stronger than diamond, yet softer than a blown kiss, stood against the strongest of all hurricanes to surmount the highest peak on earth and raise the flag of KWANDALA FOUNDATION. Permitting the winds of heaven and the shine from the light touch it first before the rest.

We are so proud of Kwandalites ability to conquer, we can not find words to describe what you have earn for yourselves as well as for this noble NGO. May the best in this life be yours, now and always.

And in the hereafter, may Allaah SWT Overlook all our shortcomings and reward us with the best of successes, a garden full of what none of us can imagine. Thank you so, so much for being selfless in this selfish world to add value to the history and legacy of this humanitarian organization.

To Kwandalawa who were with us through the thick and thin of organizing this spectacular celebration, yet could not be there physically to express their desire for the success of the various events in the project, we sincerely value you and the different ways - support, advices, finance, contacts, physically seeking for one aspect or another of all types of needs and requirements of the project and sending same to us from different parts of the world, all in order to see the project succeed - you contributed towards winning our objectives for the anniversary celebrations.

AlhamdulilLaah is all we can say 😊😊😊 CONGRATULATIONS to all, particularly those who were given one deserved award or another. Some got more than one recognition, due to their outstanding and selfless commitment in executing responsibilities given to them.

Some were opportune to partake in different projects as the years rolled by, thus patiently accumulating their honors until we celebrated the KWANDALA FOUNDATION AGM2016/10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY. This saw them collecting various medals and certificates, thus distinguishing themselves from the rest.

This is a subtle reminder that at Kwandala Foundation, we give honor to whom honor is due. And the beam of smiles that flooded the event's venue can best be described by those present at the place.

And for participating in one aspect or another of this project KWANDALA FOUNDATION AGM2016/10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY, everybody has something to show for it, in form of awards or certificates, either of honor, merit or service.

And this is extended not just to members strictly, but to persons who willingly participated in delivering one part or another in the project KWANDALA FOUNDATION AGM2016/10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY. And to the various organizations and institutions keying in to offer one thing or another towards benefiting others instead of one's self, we were truly overwhelmed. We thank you so much and AlhamdulilLaah.

We must remember that 'Nobody is perfect.' So, there are areas, here and there, where we have erred. We are only humans and so are bound to make mistakes. Most especially with the pressures mounted upon us as we approached the end of the preparations.

Consequently, let everybody bear witness that as Chairman, Organizing Committee, also as the President and Founder of this noble NGO, if any oversight, fault, mistake etc are made with regards to the planning and execution of this 10th year anniversary project, as gracefully permitted by Allaah SWT, the blame sits squarely upon my shoulders.

While I offer my true and sincere apologies, I would like to seek for forgiveness for any inconvenience this shortcoming might have caused anyone. I will also like to let us all know that, there is a lot of room for improvement, accepting corrections and rectification.

To the award recipients, if you have noticed, some of the certificates that accompanied the award plaques and those given in their own merits and other honorariums did not carry the Foundation's emblem of a Kwandala i.e. N1:00 coin, nor do they have our organization's corporate seal due to the time constrain we had.

We are therefore calling on all awardees to please return their certificates for impressing the Foundation's seal and emblem on them. This request covers the honors given to Kwandalites (our members) as well as outside beneficiaries. Note that we are very proud of our prestigious awards and desire them to be apt for you all.

Just that, though we started preparing since January 2016 for these great celebrations, time was not enough for us and thus we were still finalizing the organization of activities when the D-Day arrived. Besides, due to the financial situation prevailing in the country, certain promises and commitments were not met by our donors and sponsors. Thus our found wanting in some aspects. We do hope you will understand and bear with us

But, making it 90-95% of the way and executing 10 different events exceedingly well, despite the odds stacked against us to mark 10 years plus of our existence, in the numerous activities we experienced, thus:

DAY 1 - FRIDAY 01st APRIL, 2016 @ MAMBAYYA HOUSE, KANO.

1. GRAND OPENING CEREMONY @9:00am
*Witnessed by philanthropists, academia, government reps, politicians and the general public.

2. PUBLIC LECTURE: Role of NGOs: Islamic Perspective @3:00pm
*Passionately delivered by Sheik Muhammad Ibn Uthman

3. WORKSHOP: NGOs & Corporate Playing @4:15pm
*Aptly presented by the erudite and vocal Murtala Adogi Mohammed

DAY 2 - SATURDAY 02nd APRIL, 2016 @ M/M LIBRARY, KANO.

4. BOOK LAUNCHING: Beyond Horizons @9:00am
*Uniquely and refreshingly launched by Mama Fiona Lovett of Lovett Foundation. The book covers all the 'KWANDALA 4...' projects executed by the K. Foundation from inception to date - South-East Asian Tsunami (2005), Kidney Transplant (2005), Niger Food Crisis (2005), Primary School Computers (2006), Jos Ethnic Crisis (2008 & 2010), Samanja Glaucoma (2011), Human Development/Education (2012), MTNFounation Health Intervention Scheme Collaboration (2012), Drug Abuse (2013), Kwandala/MTN Special Splash (2014), Kwandala/MTN Y'ello Touch (2015), MTNFoundation HIS - Season II (2016) etc.

5. 10/10/10 SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS @11:00am
*Maiden edition that saw 10 First Class Health Students getting education assistance/scholarships.

6. POETRY COMPETITION: Winners @12:00pm
*Open to all. Theme: Charity, Philanthropy & Humanitarianism that produced 3 outstanding Winners of N10k, N7.5K and N5K each from the many entries that flooded in globally.

7. FUND RAISING/AWARDS/DINNER @7:00pm
*Where 250 persons were hosted and deserving awardeess given deserved awards and honors..

DAY 3 - SUNDAY 03rd APRIL, 2016 @OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

8. VISITATIONS OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
-Hasiya Bayero Children's Hospital @9:00am
*Donated bags of goodies to patients and their caring mothers

-Nassarawa Motherless Children's Home @10:00am
**We gave bags of rice, semovita, cartons of spagetti, toiletries etc

-Yadakunya Leprosy & TB Hospital, Kano @11:00am
***Donated money, clothes, blankets, toiletries etc to them

9. 10TH ANNIVERSARY WALK @4:30pm
*This saw Kwandalites in their corporate colors of blue, white and a slight red strip t-shirts, blue face-cap, in black or blue jeans walk along the business street of Zoo Road, Kano interacting with shop owners, their customers, pedestrians etc.

Donations for the good of others were collected. A unique feature of which is a N10:00 note donated by ...wait for this... an Almajiri! He was so convinced with the Kwandala ideology, he dipped his hand in his pocket and gave us 10 kwandala!

10. KWANDALA FOUNDATION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2016
Conducted peacefully in accordance with the Foundation's Constitution on DAY 1 - Friday 01st April, 2016 @ MAMBAYYA House, Kano by 12noon.

Finally, we can not help, but be like the proverbial lizard that fell from the peak of an Iroko tree, which upon hitting the ground and checking to find itself, mind, body and soul intact nodded its head and said "Choi! That sure hurts, but sha I try since I still dey kampe. So, life goes on."

We are so, so grateful to Allaah AWJ for the monumental feat and look forward to 2017, when we shall do it all over again in a much more grander style, Allaah (God) Willing.

(c)2016 Tijjani M. M.
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