Members of staff of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Kaduna Office, on Friday donated food items worth N400, 000 to orphanages in Kaduna as part of their programme to mark the end of the year celebration.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the donations which began with Jam’Iyar Matan Arewa (JMA) Orphanage on Friday would end on Saturday with a similar donation to Adonai Orphanage Home, both in Kaduna.

Presenting the items, UNICEF’s Media and External Relations Officer in the state, Mallam Rabiu Musa, said that the gesture was part of the contribution of staff in bringing succour to orphans and vulnerable children in the society.

Musa explained that the staff contribute money at the end of the year and organise a get-together after a year of tedious work.

“But this year, we decided to change the tradition.

“Instead of organising a party to enjoy ourselves, we decided to pool our resources and reach out to the less privileged in the society, particularly orphans and vulnerable children.’’

He listed the items to include rice, sugar, milk, indomie noodles, cooking oil and other beverages.

On his part, UNICEF’s Chief of Kaduna Field Office, Mr Utpal Moitra, pledged the organisation’s continued support to ease the plight of children.

“As UNICEF, we would continue to work towards closing disparities, gaps and inequalities among children, especially the marginalised and those in difficult circumstances such as those in orphanages.’’

Receiving the items, the Coordinator of the JMA Orphanage, Hajiya Maryam Tahir, thanked the UNICEF staff for the gesture.

Tahir, who was represented by the Principal of JMA Premier Secondary School, Haruna Umar, said the donation would go a long way in ensuring that the end of year was fun for the orphans.

She said that the orphanage, established in 1965, currently has six orphans, adding that so far, over 3,000 children had passed through the orphanage.

NAN reports that UNICEF also organised carreer talks as well as discussions on HIV/AIDS, particularly how to stay HIV-free for students of JMA Premier Secondary School and Rare Gem Academy.

NAN also reports that UNICEF, in collaboration with Fifth Chukker Polo and Country Club, Kaduna, also donated 46 teddy ponies to vulnerable children of Al-Ihsan Charity Organisation Children’s Home.

The Coordinator of the home, Hauwa’u Salisu, who thanked UNICEF for the gesture, said that the home currently had 76 children comprising orphans, abandoned, rejected and less privileged children. (NAN)