Strategy and Innovation for Development Initiative (SI4DEV) launched the N5Million SI4DEV COVID-19 Response Fundon April 2, 2020 in a bid to get ahead of the envisaged societal unrest and healthcare overload that could result from a pandemic response without adequate social protection. The NGO set up the Fundto support awareness of COVID-19 andits prevention, and to sponsorresponse and recovery activities for the most vulnerable populations and for grassroots health care workers.
According to the managing trustee of the NGO, Mrs. Nkem Akinsoto, “the results have proved that SI4DEV was right to start with a very rapid response to the pandemic, ahead of most government and private sector palliatives”.
50 volunteers are currently working in 25communities including Alimosho and Mushin in Lagos state, Uyo and Ikot Epene in Akwa Ibom state, Osogbo, Abuja, Makurdi, PortHarcourt, Enugu, Jos and Lokoja. Other locations areFagge and Nasarawa LGA in Kano state, Aba and Umuahiain Abia state, Kaduna, Benin City, Ilorin, Ibadan, Owerri, Sagamu, Minna, Onitsha, Gombe, and Yenogoa.
These volunteers are reaching out to about 20 families in each of these places with food and hygiene supplies. Over 1000 men, women and childrenhave received a weeks’ worth of food includingyams, beans, rice, spaghetti, palm oil, vegetable oil, noodles, garri, beverages, milk, and hand wash soaps.
“We are grateful to the organization that have made this awareness possible and also provisions made is of great importance at this moment when everybody is on lockdown.” Said Mohammed Yusuf in Kaduna.
In several communities, food recipients got emotional, some of them were shocked that they were getting palliative from a non-governmental organization and could not stop their tears of joy. Many said they literally had nothing to eat the next day, onewoman was becoming desperate that she could not provide adequate meals to her children.
Mrs. Promise Emeka cried, “thank you for coming around when situation seems hectic; you are the savior we just witnessed for these kids especially.”
The village head at Gada Shagari near Lokoja Kogi state said, “thank you so much for this act of kindness you just did, may the Almighty God bless you and the organization you represent.”
Patricia Okolo, the SI4DEV Operations and Publicity Manager, announced that the organization“also procured and donated Personal Protective Equipment’s (PPE) such as N95 face masks, hand sanitizers, gloves, protective glasses, disposable gowns, and head covers to community health centers in Port Harcourt, Ikot Epene and Jos North local government.”
She added that SI4DEV has always believed in partnering with local community stakeholders to achieve its goal. Through the COVID-19 Response Fund, SI4DEV is also sponsoring15NGOs and partners across Nigeria with mini-grants of up to 100,000 each to support their own response to the COVID-19 situation in their communities.
Volunteers are also speaking directly to the public, providingeducational materials(graphic flyers in local languages) and placing large banners and posters in strategic locations for ongoingsensitization.
Sulaimon, a volunteer testified, “SI4DEV enables volunteers to lead projects that are localized and beneficial to their community.”
To contribute to the SI4DEV COVID-19 Response Fund and help reach more locations in Nigeria, the public are encouraged todonate via bank transfer:
Bank Name: GTbank
Bank Name: Strategy and Innovation for Development Initiative
Account: 0366172770
SI4DEV is also vetted as an effective and top ranked organization by GlobalGiving USA and you can donate online to the Response Fund at http://goto.gg/46120
CONTACTSI4DEV: Email: [email protected], Contact: Whatsapp +1458028209 (Nkem), Call + 2348063318016 (Patricia)
About Strategy and Innovation for Development Initiative
SI4DEV is a non-governmental organization registered in Nigeria as Strategy and Innovation for Development Initiative in November 2017 (IT-103154). SI4DEV is a Nigerian affiliate organization of The Spring Development Initiative in the USA. We support best practice in community development.
One of the commitments by SI4DEV is to improve the health of local communities by supporting local partners so they can achieve and maintain community trust and expand their network.
Our Mission:Train and upskill change makers on how to successfully implement community driven projects, how to effectively access resources to be able to deliver a better quality of life for local communities and how to contribute to sustainable national growth and development.
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