Giving hope to Nigerians not for govt alone- NGO

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Tabitha-Abimbola Foundation, says providing hope to indigent and disadvantaged Nigerians should not be a task for government alone.

The Founder, Mrs Abimbola Agbebiyi, noted that many citizens across various communities were in search of hope, which could be provided by well-meaning Nigerians ,both at home and abroad.

She said that her foundation was created out of the need to support those in need.

According to her, the foundation started out officially on June 25, 2023 ,and will commemorate its first anniversary on July 10.

The NGO would be re-launched and an office unveiled on the the anniversary , with the theme: ‘Inspiring hope, Transforming lives’, she said in a statement on Thursday.

Agbebiyi said that the foundation had the vision to combat the scourge of poverty that had continued to limit the potential of women (widows, single mothers).owing to lack of access to resources.

She said that the re-launch and the unveiling of office in Ikeja ,Lagos, would
give the foundation a platform to share its vision, introduce initiatives and provide opportunities for collaboration and engagements.

‘Our desire is to bring these women out of devastating situations through our various economic empowerment initiatives.

‘Our mission is to create a world where these persons ,regardless of their background or circumstances ,can have access to essential resources and support.

‘We look for a world where women can make significant contributions in the home and in the society at large.

‘Driven by this passion, we are not just committed to upholding the principles of charity and social justice in our work, but also strive to make these positive impacts by promoting education and healthcare access in underserved communities.

‘One family at a time, until our impact is felt across Nigeria and beyond its shores,’ Agbebiyi said.

The founder said that the foundation was dedicated to helping the poor with special focus on indigent women and less privileged children in the society.

She added: ‘With determination as our driving force, we embarked on a journey of transformation.

‘As a steadfast advocate for change, we have partnered with corporate organisations and individuals to rewrite the story of the marginalised, nurturing a future built on sustainable development.’

Speaking further on the birth of the organisation , Agbebiyi said that the foundation started with project L.E.A.R.N- (A Street to School Initiative).

‘What began as a passion to provide support for indigent women in local communities is slowly evolving into a multi-faceted empowerment and endowment initiative which has continued to expand.

‘At inception, the foundation embarked on a mission to empower indigent women with the resources they need to reach their full potential.

‘But it is taking a step further by delving into uplifting children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds by offering them not only free education, but also providing them with educational materials to aid learning.’she said

According to
her, with reports of school age children roaming the streets increasing at an alarming rate , the foundation decided to join hands with government to bring down the scary number.

‘We are full aware of the various factors responsible for this; from insecurity to poverty, ignorance, gender inequality, religious and cultural influences among others.

‘Our goal is to give the needed educational support to out-of-school children and disadvantaged young people.

‘Every child deserves education in a clean and safe environment. This is our unwavering commitment to their educational journey.

‘In the last 12 months, The TABITHA-ABIMBOLA Foundation has written an inspiring story of impact. Spurred by the testimonies of transformation of lives and guided by our unwavering dedication to humanity.

‘We have touched the lives of women and children, wiping away their tears and putting smiles on their faces,’ she said.

Agbebiyi said that with ‘Project Feed’ ,the foundation had fed many families through the distribution of
food items with the recent one tagged ‘iléyá food pack’

She said that it was carried out in collaboration with the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-West), Miss Moremi Ojudu.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

2024 World Intelligence Expo kicks off in Tianjin

The 2024 World Intelligence Expo (WIE) commenced on June 20th in Tianjin. Themed ‘Intelligence: Expansive Development Space, Sustainable Growth Driver,’ the expo was co-hosted by the people’s governments of Tianjin and Chongqing municipalities.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the expo, pointing out that AI, as an important driving force for a new round sci-tech revolution and industrial transformation, will have a far-reaching impact on global economic and social development and human civilization progress. In his letter, Xi also noted that China has attached great importance to the development of AI, actively driven the deep integration of the Internet, big data and AI with real economy to cultivate and build the intelligent industry, accelerate the development of new quality productivity, and provide new momentum for high-quality development.

Chen Min’er, secretary of the CPC Tianjin Committee, addressed the opening ceremony of the expo. Wan Gang, chairman of China Associatio
n for Science and Technology, delivered the keynote speech. Hu Henghua, mayor of Chongqing; Wu Zhaohui, vice president of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Liu Liehong, head of the National Data Administration; Long Teng, vice minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology; and Shan Zhongde, vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, addressed the expo, respectively. Tianjin Mayor Zhang Gong presided over the opening ceremony.

In his speech, Chen Min’er pointed out that Tianjin has been adhering to sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation at the same time, actively propelling exploration and practical applications in the realm of AI, and accelerating the development of new quality productivity to better empower its high-quality development and living. Chen added, ‘Leading sci-tech innovation with intelligence, Tianjin will rev up the Rand D and application of some key core technologies, vigorously develop the sci-tech service sector, streamline the supply and demand channels fo
r sci-tech achievements, boost sci-tech and innovation parks to improve their quality and efficiency, and accelerate the inter-sector application of AI to help innovation and breakthroughs in the fields of life science, low-carbon technology, and future research.

According to Hu Henghua, Chongqing is speeding up in digital industrialization and industrial digitization to build itself into a new digital economy highland. The 2025 World Intelligence Expo is scheduled to be held in Chongqing. Hu invited everyone to delineate a new AI landscape together, share golden opportunities during the digitization of Chongqing, and co-build a promising future in the AI era.

Wu Zhaohui suggested strengthening the inter-discipline cooperation to consolidate the AI research foundation, enriching AI scenarios with applets, and deepening industry-institute interactions to build an AI innovation ecosystem.

Zeng Yi, chairman of China Electronics Corporation; Chen Zhongyue, chairman of China Unicom; Yang Yuanqing, chairman and
CEO of Lenovo; and Zhou Hongyi, founder of Qihoo 360 delivered speeches.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

UNGA president commends Namibia’s active participation at the UN


WINDHOEK: The president of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dennis Francis, has commended Namibia for its active participation at the UN, including its leading role in preparing for the Summit of the Future.

He made this comment in reference to Namibia and Germany jointly facilitating the hosting of the summit, which is seen as a unique opportunity for the global community to strengthen cooperation and address gaps in global governance.

‘Today, Namibia is relentlessly active and engaged at the United Nations – most notably, into the second year as a dependable and trusted co-facilitator of the intergovernmental preparatory process for the Summit of the Future in September,’ Francis said.

He added that it is during this pivotal and eagerly anticipated summit that world leaders are expected to forge a new global consensus on the modalities by which to ‘strengthen our multilateral system and recapture our commitment to international solidarity and cooperation.’

‘Even as we speak, the groundwork is
being painstakingly laid to achieve these ends and I am therefore grateful to your own Ambassador Neville Gertze, alongside Ambassador Antje Leendertse of Germany – who, as co-facilitators, have skillfully led what is an intricately delicate but promising intergovernmental negotiations process,’ Francis said in his address to the Namibian Parliament on Thursday.

‘As credence to the investment that Namibia is making in the Summit of the Future process, the Pact for the Future – together with two other outcomes, namely the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations – cannot fall short of ensuring that our multilateral system delivers better for the African continent and its peoples.’

The Summit of the Future is scheduled for 22-23 September at the UN headquarters in New York. This high-level event is seen as a unique opportunity for the global community to establish a new international consensus and address gaps in global governance.

‘The Summit of the Future is part of a continuum of e
fforts to deliver faster and smarter on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and, importantly, the Paris Agreement on climate change, which remains our best answer to the myriad effects of the climate crisis,’ Francis said.

The UNGA president’s address to the joint parliament was part of his official programme during his visit to Namibia. He also held talks with President Nangolo Mbumba and Deputy President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.





Source: Namibia Press Agency