By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Since January, 2020 when resumed hostilities led to the sacking of some communities in the Irigwe Chiefdom of Bassa local government area of Plateau State, survivors of the deadly attacks have been subjected to all kinds of hardship.

While some find refuge in the homes of relatives in safer areas, those not so lucky have to cope with the stress of living in community halls, schools and Church premises despite the unfavourable weather conditions.

They dare not go back to their burnt homes as the attackers whom they said are “Fulani armed men” have warned them against returning to either their homes or farmlands. The fear of the unknown with little official support have made them succumb to their fate.

Among the very vulnerable begging for urgent help are naked children and their tired looking mothers who were sacked from their homes at Kwall, Adu, Hukke, Miango town, Te’egbe, Nkiedonwro, Rekwe Chongu, Rotsu, Ancha, Nbra Zongo among other communities in the Chiefdom.

Taking a step to alleviate their plight, The ECWA Aids Ministry, TEAM reached out to some of the communities to create effective awareness about the COVID-19 disease as well as distribute sanitary wares to help them keep safe.

Among the items donated to over 300 households with minimum of six people per family included cash to buy food and some building materials, sanitary towels to 360 women as well as liquid soap and hand sanitizer to help households imbibe basic hygiene.

Speaking with Sunday Vanguard, TEAM Coordinator, Ezekiel Bala said the gesture, sponsored by Tearfund Nigeria  under the Miango Internally Displaced emergency response project was specifically targeted at women especially the pregnant ones, widows, physically challenged and orphans.

He noted that, “These people have been displaced, hygiene and sanitary conditions will be challenging, we are helping them to keep themselves safe. Most times, people don’t care about women especially those of reproductive age, young women during monthly flow, we are alleviating their plights by giving sanitary pads to young girls and women between the ages of 13 and 45 years.

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“The beneficiaries of all the items given out were selected based on those whose houses were burnt, food barns lost, orphans, widows, pregnant women, physically challenged, child-headed homes, that is families where parents have been killed and  older children are taking care of the younger ones.”

However, majority of the women in most of the communities visited who were given three months supply of the commodity, confessed the donation was strange to them as they had never used sanitary pads before and this called for sensitization on its use.

According to 31 years old pregnant mother of eight, Sarah Stephen, “I have not seen this before and I don’t use such for my menses. I have pieces of clothes which I use.” When asked about her antenatal requirements which has sanitary pads as a part, she added, “I don’t go to hospital, I give birth to my children at home and we don’t use this thing.”

Other women in the Kwall community also disclosed their ignorance but promised to make good use of the commodity.

Meanwhile, communities’ leaders including Danlami Ngwe from Kwall, Ishaya Kwa from Nkiedonwro and Simon Izah from Hukke expressed appreciation for the gifts but pleaded for assistance, government and security intervention to enable them go back to their homes especially as the farming season kicks off.

Vanguard