Meet Kaduna lady who’s raising 5 abandoned babies

By Maryam Ahmadu-Suka & Ra’afat Maccido, Kaduna | Publish Date: Aug 13 2016 5:00AM

n Hajiya Uwani with some of her adopted children.

Tucked in a corner in an area called Ungwan Kaji, in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, is a house where abandoned babies and children get succour from. A housewife named Hajiya Uwani Yusuf Waziri, also known as ‘Uwar Marayu’ (‘Mother of Orphans’ in Hausa), though not rich materially, is wealthy with a kind heart, and has vowed to take care of any abandoned baby or child brought to her doorstep. 

When Daily Trust visited Uwar Marayu’s home, there was a warm welcome from a 5-year-old who later turned out to be one of that household’s wards. Excitedly, the mother of 11 - who’s now a mother of 18 - gathered all the children for a photo, after excusing the two eldest girls, as she didn’t want them to know they are abandoned children. 

The abandoned children she found over the years and is raising were previously seven in number, including Hajara (5), Fatima (5), Halimatu (7 months), Khadija (6 months), Zainab (2 weeks). But Ibrahim and Jamila died recently due to pneumonia and HIV.  

Speaking passionately about the children, Hajiya Uwani said she would not have been able to take care of the children without the support of her husband and her biological children. “I was born and brought up in Tudun Wada, Kaduna, before I got married a long time ago to Alhaji Isuhu Waziri and relocated to Ungwan Kaji. My marriage is blessed with 11 children and seven adopted ones, and I must mention here that without the support of my husband and my children, only Allah knows how I would have been able to take care of the children.” 

“My oldest child is 38, and the youngest is seven, so I had time to take care of the babies most of whom were less than a week old when they were brought to me.”

She told Daily Trust: “When the children are found, they are taken to the house of the District Head (Hakimi) and he then sends them to me. The children were found all within Rigachikun including Barakallahu, Hayin Na Iya and other areas along the Zaria expressway.”

On how she is able to cater for the needs of the children, she said, “I do not have any standard business. It’s just the petty businesses that we women do at home.  The babies do not take breast milk, we feed them with baby milk, and buy them disposable diapers, which is the hardest part it all. We have tried so many times to reach the government to come to our aid, to no avail. We keep receiving promises especially from the local government chairmen of different regimes, but that’s it. And as we all know, whosoever helps another, Allah will help that person as well. I take these children under my care for Allah’s sake with the hope of getting the reward from Allah. That is why I am struggling and putting my best to bringing them up.” 

Asked what challenge she is facing, she said: “The milk for the babies and diapers are my biggest challenge. I do not want anyone to give me money, but if they can provide just the milk and diapers, I would really appreciate it.”

On what future she wants for the children, she said: “My desire is for Allah to give me long life so that I can educate them, so they grow up to be successful in life, and they will be the pride of everyone. I am very certain that even when I am no more, my children will never disown or humiliate them because they love them whole eartedly as if they are related by blood. That is why I pray to get help to send them to the best schools, so they can be great.”

On mothers who abandon babies, Uwar Marayu said they should fear Allah. “I pray to Him to guide them to the right path. And on our part, we mothers contribute a lot to this menace, as when our young girls become pregnant we refuse to accept them. We only fear the shame, and forget fate. We should always accept fate, and our children if we find them in such situation, show them love and above all, pray for them.” 

Uwar Marayu said the idea of terminating the pregnancy, killing the baby or abandoning it is like a go-ahead from the part of the mother for the daughter to repeat the same mistake over and over again. “We should accept fate and guide or children through their mistakes. Isn’t that why Allah made us parents, to raise our kids with love and care?”

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