By Sani Idris
An NGO, Victims Support Fund (VSF), has distributed food items to 3,000 households who are victims of banditry and terrorism in some identified local government areas in Kaduna.
The benefiting LGAs are Chikun, Giwa and Zangon Kataf local council areas where 1,000 beneficiaries in each of the LGAs, mainly Internally Displaced Persons, were provided with the food items.
The items included bags of rice, beans, vegetable oil, salt, seasoning and sugar.
During the flag-off of the distribution of the commodities in Chikun on Wednesday, Mr Sunday Oyibe, an official of VSF, said the foundation was set up to provide succour to victims of banditry, terrorism and other related problems.
He said the foundation focused on four areas, including livelihood, to enable victims of banditry and terrorism to recover and get reintegrated into the society.
He, however, said that food was very critical to the victims, especially considering their condition, stressing it was out of humanitarian consideration that they provided the food items.
“This is the first phase of the distribution as we would sustain the gesture for the next two years as directed by our Chairman, retired Lt-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma,” he said.
Earlier, the Team Lead of the group in charge of Kaduna and Adamawa states, Mr David Garnvwa, said the foundation was presently working in nine states of the federation.
He said the food items were palliatives, noting that VSF focused on the immediate, medium and long term measures of alleviating sufferings of the IDPs.
He symphatised with the beneficiaries for the condition they found themselves in, while urging them to be patient, saying that no condition was permanent.
Mr Silas Ideva, the Programme Manager of Carelink Resource Foundation (CRF), a partner in the programme, said the group also engaged in such humanitarian services .
He added that its aim was to ensure that vulnerable households, benefitted from such interventions, to improve their well being and enhance their livelihood.
He explained that the VSF identified organisations that offered humanitarian support, where the CRF was selected among others.
“The VSF is providing complementary services to the Federal Government’s effort in providing relief services to the internally displaced persons,” he said.
“This initiative encompasses not only the provision of essential food aid but also extends to entrepreneurial training, equipping beneficiaries with starter packs and machinery for self-reliance,” he added.
Ideva noted that the benefiting LGAs had suffered banditry and terrorist attacks which resulted in the large number of the IDPs .
According to him, the group has, in each of the affected LGAs, conducted a painstaking profiling and verification process of the identified 1,000 vulnerable families and households.
“The goal of the VSF project is to facilitate the recovery of individuals affected by the scourge of terrorism and banditry and empower them economically and socially. ”
Earlier, Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), Usman Mazadu, thanked the group for the gesture which he said was desirous and timely.
Mazadu, represented by the agency’s Director incharge of Relief and Disaster Management, Mr Ya’u Mahmud, assured of their regular commitment towards providing succour to the people of the State.
Also, Mrs Rahab Auta, the National Vice Chairperson of the State Social Work Chapter, thanked VSF for the gesture, while describing it as a true service to humanity.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Eunice Chukwu , said the food items were so much a relief for the struggle and hardship to start a new life in another community.
“As I am talking to you, I don’t even have what I and my children will eat today until this palliative comes our way, it will surely go a long way in easing my difficulties,”she said.
Also, Mr Amos Ishaya said the food was much of a relief to their everyday struggle to feed .
He thanked the foundation, while calling on other Philanthropists to also engage in humanitarian activities in their areas.(NAN)
Edited by Auwalu Birnin Kudu/Idris Abdulrahman
