A 200-level Mass Communication student at the Federal University Kashere (FUK), Gombe State, Loryar Louis Tarvershima has organised a community outreach aimed at supporting Almajiri children and drawing attention to their welfare.
The initiative, tagged Louis Changing Lives, was organised by Tarvershima, who said the programme was designed to provide basic relief and restore a sense of dignity to Qur’anic pupils often exposed to hardship.
During the outreach, the student provided free slippers, haircut services and meals to dozens of Almajiri children drawn from the Kashere community.
Speaking at the event, Tarvershima said the initiative was inspired by his personal experiences growing up under difficult circumstances.
“In life, nobody prays for bad days, but different dilemmas affect people like us who were not born with a silver spoon,” he said. “I was a street boy myself and grew up without knowing my father, so I understand the challenges these children face. Seeing them smile today means a lot to me.”
The event attracted fellow students and community members, highlighting what organisers described as the role of young people in addressing social challenges at the grassroots.
The outreach also received commendation from the university authorities. The Head of the Mass Communication Department, Musa Balka Maina, conveyed his approval through a representative, praising the initiative as a positive example of student-led social responsibility.
Beneficiaries of the programme expressed appreciation for the gesture. Abubakar Muhammad, one of the Almajiri children, said he was happy to receive a new pair of slippers and a haircut, while Aliyu Muhammad described the experience as refreshing.
“I’m happy because of the haircut and to be here learning the Holy Qur’an,” he said.
Mr Tarvershima, in his closing remarks, appealed to members of the public to stop stigmatising Almajiri children, stressing that their situation should not be criminalised.
“It is not a crime to be an Almajiri,” he said, calling for greater compassion and community support for vulnerable children.
