By
Jude Abanseka and Constantine Ntangrin
Some fifty-five internally displaced persons (IDPs) and
other underprivileged persons living in the Bamenda III subdivision of the
North West Region have been donated basic items which will enable them comfortably
live in their new environment.
A local NGO, Humanitarian Assistant Services aka
HUMACARE mobilised and organised the occasion to reach out to these needy fifty-five
IDPs out of the sixty-eight previously identified, Sunday August 18, 2019 at
the Blue Pearl Hotel. Items donated to the beneficiaries included: rice,
laundry soaps, clothes, toothbrushes, shoes, just to name these.  |
| A cross section of the IDPs |
 |
| clothes for the IDPs |
This humanitarian gesture was organised within the
context of the commemoration of the international humanitarian day. It was a
culmination of preparatory activities that started on August 15 at the level of
the NGO with three days of prayers to Mary Mother of God to intercede for the IDPs
and their families.
 |
| Addressing the beneficiaries |
Addressing the beneficiaries before handing over gifts
to them, the CEO of HUMACARE Joachim Laisin Afoni spoke to them about security,
trust, love and unity. He urged them not to be afraid. Rather they should unite
with everyone in the neighbourhood, be open and to share their worries and
ideas. According to Joachim Laisin Afoni who doubles as the Quarter-head, many shied
away when he sent a list round for IDPs to identify themselves, because of lack
of trust and too much suspicion. So he urged them to respond immediately they
are called. He encouraged them to get whistles in their different households to
use to alert the neighbours in case of an invasion in the neighbourhood by
either of the belligerents (the military or the armed separatist fighters). The
CEO added that it was important for them to be truthful because they can get
appropriate assistance if only they told the truth. Joachim Laisin Afoni explained
finally that, after Upper Mile III, he and his team will extend their largess to
lower Mile III.
 |
| CEO of HUMACARE making final preparations for the humanitarian assistance |
HUMACARE was founded in 2005 in Yaoundé with the aim
of bringing solace to the less privileged in society especially children. Back then,
some underprivileged children in the city and in the suburbs of Yaoundé, benefitted
tuition fees and other school needs; and their feeding was also taken care of. The
NGO moved over to Bamenda since one year ago. Having moved over to Bamenda, and
with the escalation of the Anglophone crisis, the NGO decided to bring
humanitarian aid to some IDPs in its Upper Mile 3 Nkwen neighbourhood.
Comments
Post a Comment