BENIN CITY- The SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria, has commenced distribution of relief food and non food items to vulnerable families in Edo State to prevent family disintegration which leads to loss of parental care for children.
The intervention tagged COVID-19 Emergency relief project, which began yesterday in Umegbe and Uzebu communities in Oredo local government area was commended by the recipients of the items and community leaders in the area.
The Enogie of Umegbe, HRH Anthony Osaghae, the Odionwere, Pa John Iyamu and the Okaighele of Umegbe who is also the chairman, Board of trustee, Umegbe Community Child Care Initiative, Sunny Efe Iyamu expressed their appreciation to the SOS Children’s Villages for coming to alleviate the plight of the vulnerable families in the community.
“SOS has come to help our vulnerable children with these palliatives, even though this is not what they have come to do for us. On behalf of the community we appreciate what they are doing for us,” they noted.
In the words of one of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Umukoro who was very delighted with the relief items, ‘we thank SOS for giving us food to feed our children at this time of the Corona virus pandemic.
The project manager, SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria, Mr Daniel Obamina on behalf of the National Director, Eghosa Erhunmwunse said the organization has identified the need to scale up child care and protection measures through economic palliatives to prevent family disintegration which could lead to loss of parental care for children.
He said: “ As parents and caregivers struggle to maintain their livelihoods and income in Nigeria, we believe that urgent actions should be taken to lessen the economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak and prevent families already living on the edge of hardship from falling into poverty.
“Children and families least able to cope with the economic implication of the pandemic will be hit hardest. If we do not act, the pandemic will devastate families and cause unprecedented protection needs across Nigeria,” he added.
According to him, in Edo Sate, households with less than six family members will be provided 25 kg of rice, 4 litres each of palm oil and vegetable oil and 2 kg of salt. These food items will be supported with 175- gram bathing soaps, 900- gram laundry detergent and 12 pieces of reusable face masks.
He further disclosed that likewise, households with more than six family members received 50 kg of rice, 25 kg of beans, 8 litres each of palm oil and vegetable oil and 2 kg of salt. The families also received 350-gram bathing soaps, 1800-gram laundry detergents and 20 pieces of reusable facemasks’
“In Edo state, 1936 children and youths from 398 families will be reached directly in the first phase of the project which will run until September 2021. The distribution exercise which began yesterday will run for ten days in Umegbe and Uzebu communities in Oredo local government area,” he added.
