NGO distributes relief items to FCT IDPs

Agency Reporter

A non-governmental organisation, Symbols of Hope project, an initiative of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), has launched the distribution of food and medical items to Internally Displaced Persons and the most vulnerable citizens across the Federal Capital Territory.

The Country Coordinator, Symbols of Hope Project Nigeria, Rev Emmanuel Gabriel, while distributing the items during an awareness campaign against human trafficking and COVID-19 said the gesture was to cushion the effect of the coronavirus pandemic, to the most vulnerable in the society.

Rev Gabriel said there was a need to complement the government on providing palliative for people especially the IDPs who are the most vulnerable in the society.

He said the campaign to kick against human trafficking and COVID-19 had become necessary since most people take advantage of the most vulnerable in the society.

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According to him, “As a church and as an organisation, the symbols of Hope is advocating against human trafficking. We felt we should carry the advocacy beyond the television and radio and visit places like this. We have gone to so many places including the market.

“We have discovered that people take advantage of the vulnerability of the internally displaced persons by coming to traffic them out of the camp so that they will get what they want. Sometimes, they send them into prostitutions, and housemaids.

“That’s why we have come to talk to the IDPs so that they guard themselves and then in connection with the spread of the COVID-19 right now, we feel they are still vulnerable because, when we came in, we saw that there was nothing like social distancing, and they are not using face masks”, he said.

Also speaking, the Bishop of Abuja Diocese, Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria, Rt.Rev Benjamin Fuduta, said the service to humanity was the major objective of the organisation, particularly the IDPs.

“IDPs are in critical need of essential requirements of basic necessity of life. The organisation will redouble its effort in making provisions capable of reducing the sufferings of the weak persons and the vulnerable,” he said.