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The Director-General of the National Gallery of Art, Ahmed Bashir Sodangi, Wednesday, intensified his community development initiatives in Katsina State, with interventions targeting 600 women, 286 prospective Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) candidates, healthcare centres, schools and vulnerable households.
The initiatives, implemented across Katsina Local Government Area and neighbouring communities, cover women’s economic empowerment, food distribution, maternal healthcare, educational support and the provision of essential community infrastructure.
As part of the interventions, Sodangi facilitated a cash empowerment programme for 600 women, aimed at improving their economic wellbeing and helping them support their families. He also distributed 50,000 bags of 25kg food items during Ramadan last year to provide relief to households during the holy month.
The Ramadan food distribution reached councillors, political party stakeholders, community leaders and members of the public, offering support to beneficiaries facing economic challenges and reinforcing the importance of community solidarity.
In the health sector, the National Gallery of Art director-general donated 100 birthing kits to two primary healthcare facilities: MCHCR/Asibitin Malam Bara’u in Rafindadi and Justice Umaru Abdullahi Clinic in U/Alkali, both located in Wakilin Kudu 1 Ward, Katsina LGA.
The donation is designed to provide expectant mothers with essential materials for safer and more hygienic childbirth while supporting healthcare workers in delivering maternal health services.
The intervention also highlights the importance of grassroots contributions to improving healthcare access, particularly for women in underserved communities.
Sodangi’s education support programme includes the provision of 286 JAMB registration forms to students across Katsina LGA, a move intended to ease the financial burden on families and expand access to tertiary education.
Schools also benefited from the distribution of essential supplies, including chalk, markers, brooms, lesson-plan books, first-aid kits, school registers and dustbins.
Beyond education and healthcare, the interventions extend to community infrastructure and religious facilities. An overhead water tank and prayer mats were provided to Masallacin Mai Inyass in Malali, while two public toilets attached to Abdu Maigoro Mosque in Yar’Adua Quarters, Katsina, were completely renovated to improve sanitation and public convenience.
Sodangi reveals motivation behind outreach
Speaking on the motivation behind the initiatives, Sodangi said leadership should be measured by its impact on people’s lives rather than the positions individuals occupy or the promises they make.
“True leadership is measured not merely by the positions we occupy or the promises we make, but by the lives we touch and the opportunities we create for others,” he said.
He added that women, young people, children and vulnerable households deserved practical support that would enable them to live with dignity and hope.
According to him, investments in education, healthcare, women’s economic empowerment and essential community infrastructure are necessary to create a society in which more people can participate meaningfully in development.
Sodangi further stressed that empowering women and young people remained critical to building stronger families and resilient communities, calling for sustained efforts to expand access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities.
Katsina government lauds initiative
Representing the Katsina State governor at the outreach, the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Abdullahi Garba Faskari, commended Sodangi for his commitment to community service and described the interventions as valuable contributions to grassroots development.
Faskari praised the director-general for extending assistance to vulnerable groups and investing in the welfare of women, youths and children. He urged other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the initiative by committing their resources, influence and time to programmes that improve livelihoods and create opportunities for younger generations.
He emphasised that sustainable development required collective responsibility, noting that individuals, private organisations and community stakeholders had important roles to play in complementing government efforts, particularly in underserved communities.
The interventions reflect a community-focused approach to development, combining economic assistance, educational opportunities, maternal healthcare support and improvements to local infrastructure. They also underscore the role of individual contributions and collective action in addressing social needs and improving the welfare of vulnerable populations.
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