Elohim Development Foundation Steps into Humanitarian Needs of the IDPS
WASH
In 2018, the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BENSEMA) estimated that 483,692 persons were displaced and living in IDP camps and host communities in safer areas within the same or neighboring LGAs across Benue State. Of this number 159,444 were children from 6-17 years comprising (85,626 males and 73,818 females) and 211,631 were adults from 18 years and above comprising (102,352
males and 109,276 females). Children 0-5 years constituted 112,617 of the total population.
In the height of this crisis, came a grave protection need and provision of basic needs of the vulnerable population, ranging from Water Sanitations and Hygiene (WASH) issues, psychosocial support, food supply, cooking fuel, adequate and appropriate poor shelter, inadequate protection programme and
structures, women and girls were also faced with issues of sexual and gender based violence.
Besides meeting the need of IDPs, another group of persons who need critical attention is adolescent youths living in our society. These groups of people are of paramount importance in the society and if not properly guided to make informed decision for a purposeful life, would contribute to the continuous
crisis and unrest in our society as crime and order social vices would take over their lives there by causing more harm than good.
Elohim Development Foundation (EDF) a registered not for profit organization working in Benue state with youths and other vulnerable groups to ensuring that dreams become reality attempted to address some of these issues mentioned above from personal effort without funding support of any partner or partners based on findings of our reporters except for collaboration and partnership, designed and implemented program targeted at addressing some of the above problems.
WASH
Water and hygiene are two critical steps towards healthy living, as a way of ensuring good living condition for these vulnerable populations the Foundation through collaboration with CSO-B . UNICEF and Benue State Water Supply Agency (BEWASA) and support
from UNICEF, supported the implementation of WASH in Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) camp to promote good hygiene practices among IDPs.
Resilience for Adolescent Children
The organization also in partnership with Glorious Teens Ministries (CSO in Benue State) built resilience of Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in Daudu Camp, Guma local Government Area and Agan in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue state to better cope, due to increasing protection concerns, gender based violence, and rape of girls caused by low/absence of vocational skills and provided psychosocial support, sexual reproductive health information and services as well as livelihood skill acquisition activities for by AGYW displaced by the crisis.
Menstrual Hygiene
Adolescent girls and women in Baka camp in Makurdi local Government and Gbajimba camp in Guma
Local Government were equipped with the skill and knowledge on how to properly manage their monthly periods and ensure support from their male counterparts and also break the stigma and cultural barriers around menstruation.
People with disability
The organization having seen the challenges face by people with disability (PWD) extended a hand of support to IDW with some of their basic need for survival and easy movement.
Educational Intervention
The foundation visited Universities, Secondary schools, Nursery and Primary schools to talk to and encourage young people to stay off social vices and the need to remain focused and committed to their studies as the only sure way of making an impact in society. This program has been held in over 30 schools in Benue state and has reached over 500,000 adolescents in the state to bring about positive behavioral change and ensure productive youth population in our society.
