A cashew manufacturing company in Kwara State, Outspan Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of the Olam International Group, has donated a block of six toilets to Ansarul Islam Community School, a secondary school in Aboto community, Asa Local Government Area.

During the inauguration of the school project on Wednesday, Mr. Rajeesh Neelanjeri, the General Manager of the company, represented by Alhaji Idris Ajibade, expressed the company’s commitment to improving the overall well-being of farmers and farming communities in its supply chain. Outspan Nigeria Limited, operating in the food ingredients sector under Olam Food Ingredients (Ofi), focuses on enhancing nutrition and health factors.

He stated, “Through consistent partnerships, we work with communities to help meet health and nutrition needs throughout the year, in line with our sustainability goals. The cashew trail target is reflected in our slogan, ‘Promoting good health and well-being through the provision of clean water and implementation of proper sanitary conditions.'”

He emphasised the importance of equitable sanitation and hygiene, especially for women, girls, and vulnerable individuals in these communities, as a key focus for the Ofi Family.

The manager underscored the company’s commitment to building and maintaining strong partnerships with both existing stakeholders and new ones, aiming to contribute to a more sustainable and positive environment.

The community leader, Alangua of Aboto, Mallam Kasali Yakub, commended Ofi for the project and also called upon the company to address the year-long absence of electricity supply in the area, which has had a significant socio-economic impact.

He further urged the company to establish an industry in Aboto due to the abundance of cashew production in the community.

Representing the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) unit of the State Ministry of Health, Mrs. Fabiyi Bukola, stated that the toilet project would help combat open defecation and improve hygiene in the area. She encouraged community members to maintain the facility.

The school principal, Bello Yekini Olatunji, emphasized the significance of the project in meeting the student’s needs, as they previously had to use the surrounding bushes due to concerns about kidnapping cases. He requested the company’s assistance in providing a borehole to alleviate water-related difficulties further and enhance the use of the new toilets, which he believed would enhance the teaching and learning process.

Olatunji assured that the company’s name would be cherished by the students and the villagers, as “your love shall continue to be fresh in the minds of staff and students as much as the toilet is put into use.”

The head of the Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) for Asa Local Government, Abdulganiyu Saadu Atunebise, applauded the company for its efforts to combat diseases caused by open defecation, such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and intestinal worms. He urged the beneficiaries to use the facility judiciously.