By Justina Auta

Women at the Wassa Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp have appealed for improved healthcare, economic empowerment and education to help them rebuild their lives with dignity.

The women made the appeal at the fifth anniversary of the Civitas Auxilium Foundation (CAF) and the launch of Project RISE on Monday in Abuja.

Mrs Daliyah Yusuf, representing the women in the camp, called for affordable healthcare, education, security for farming activities and livelihood opportunities for displaced families.

She urged the government and partners to introduce an identification card system to enable IDPs to access treatment at public hospitals at little or no cost.

Yusuf lamented that the high cost of healthcare had contributed to preventable complications and deaths among women and children in the camp.

“Recently, we lost three women from complications during childbirth, and one of them died alongside her twin babies.

“We had no nearby hospital, and before we could get a vehicle to take her for surgery, she had lost so much blood and died,” she said.

She added that the camp had also recently recorded the deaths of children from waterborne diseases.

Yusuf appealed to the government, organisations and philanthropists to support displaced families with livelihood opportunities to enable them to become self-reliant and reintegrate into society.

Similarly, Mrs Hafsat Hamman, Women Leader at the Wassa IDP camp, decried the lack of accessible healthcare services.

“I appeal to the government and well-meaning Nigerians to provide a hospital or functional health centre because many lives have been lost before we could get transport to health facilities,” she said.

Mrs Helen Luka, Women Church Leader in the camp, commended CAF for providing displaced women with a platform to express their challenges.

She appreciated the organisation’s consistent support in addressing their needs, particularly in education, healthcare and women’s empowerment.

Also, Mrs Janet Adah, a teacher in the community, emphasised the need for a secondary school to reduce school dropout among displaced children.

“We don’t have any secondary school around here. Many parents cannot afford transportation, so their children drop out or engage in petty trading to survive,” she said.

Mrs Elizabeth Duile, Executive Director and Founder of CAF, said the foundation had continued to transform vulnerable communities through interventions in education, health, literacy and women’s empowerment.

She reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to building resilient, equitable and self-reliant communities through capacity building, innovation and improved access to essential services.

According to her, Project RISE seeks to empower women affected by poverty, displacement and vulnerability in Benue and the FCT through vocational training and entrepreneurship.

“We aim to build practical skills of at least 100 women in catering, baking, bag making and other vocational trades, while providing them with essential tools and equipment,” she said.

Duile said the six-month initiative would create sustainable livelihood opportunities and called on stakeholders to support its implementation.

“Don’t just celebrate with us; partner with us. Support our programmes, open doors, share your expertise and help us create opportunities for more women, children and families,” she appealed.

Dr Benedict Aliku, Chief Executive Officer of Equipping the Needy Initiative, represented by Rev. Nathaniel Agu, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting displaced persons.

“We have seen the impact of CAF’s interventions in transforming lives, and we assure you of our continuous support toward achieving these goals,” he said.

Mrs Gloria Adah, Secretary of Junior Chamber International (JCI), also reaffirmed the organisation’s support for initiatives promoting women’s empowerment and vulnerable communities.

Similarly, Ms Nazi Essien, Executive Director of Mercy Eleos Frontido Foundation, represented by Lisa Robert, called for stronger partnerships to expand community impact.

The event also featured the presentation of awards to philanthropists, organisations and some IDPs for their contributions to improving the lives of women and children in the camp.(NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru