In an effort to ameliorate the suffering of the people living along riverine areas, the European Humanitarian Aid in partnership with the Nigerian Red Cross Society, have distributed hygiene and sanitary items to 500 women affected by the 2024 flood disaster in Kogi state.
The kits distributed to the beneficiaries were provided by EU under its 2024 integrated flood response intervention project, through the International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Addressing the beneficiaries on Saturday in Lokoja, the acting secretary, Kogi state branch of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Abdullahi Abubakar, said the initiative was a follow up to the relief items and cash donated to 1,100 households by the organisation in December 2024, as a response to flood disaster in the state.
“This particular project covers 500 women who are within the child bearing age, in 11 communities namely; Galili, Sarkin Noma, Kasuwan Ruwa, Edo, Kanpe in Lokoja LGA; Onumaye/ Edumose, Edebaki, Ogbangede and Irenedu in Kogi LGA and Ala – Ichala, Ala – Atanegoma, Ala – Ofukpoju also in Idah LGA.
“The 500 women comprised 220 from four communities in Lokoja, 160 from four communities in Kogi, and 120 women from three communities in Idah.
“This is another way for us to support our mothers and those who are still within the range of child bearing age. The bag which is dignity kit contained washing soap, bathing soap, dettol, omo, pants, re-usable pads , tooth paste, tooth brush, slipas, cream and rechargeable touch light.
“The aim of distributing this items to them is to give them relief pending when their husband will be able to get little income to support them. That is the reason this project came to be”
Speaking further, Abubakar stated that the concern and the target of the Society this time around was the sanitation and personal hygiene of women, noting that after flooding there are a lot of health challenges faced by women in the affected communities.
“The beneficiaries are mothers who are still into child bearing, who were earlier selected randomly across the communities across three local government areas,” he said.
He stressed that the EU, through its intervention project, in partnership with Red Cross, had provided relief and recovery supports to thousands of flood-affected households in many states.
While charging the beneficiaries to effectively use the items to ensure that they maintain proper menstrual hygiene and sanitation, the Acting Secretary also advised the beneficiaries and residents of flood prone communities to adhere to the early warning signs, and relocate to upland for the safety of their lives as the rainy season approaches.
“The flood will definitely come as predicted by Nimet, so prevention is always better and safer than cure. We also appeal to the local community leaders to identify the highland areas ahead of time to enable them move to such areas before the community is flooded” he said.
The items’ distribution was carried out by Red Cross consecutively across the three local government areas
Some of the beneficiaries, Sefinat Umar from Lokoja; Farida Ibrahim from Kogi; and Victoria Ubani from Idah, who spoke to journalists in their various LGAs, commended the Red Cross and the European Union Humanitarian Aid for the gesture.
“We really appreciate the European Union and Red Cross for the gesture because they have really tried for us.
“They gave us relief items such as 20-litre jerrycans, buckets, Aqua tabs, and ATM preloaded cards with N77,000 each, in December 2024, which greatly help us to meet our immediate needs
“As if that was not enough , the EU and Red Cross came back again to give us sanitary and other items. We are grateful to them, May God bless them,” Farida Ibrahim said.