Red Cross targets the poor and the hungry in 7 states
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Up to 30,000 poor and hungry people in 5,000 households in the North West and North Central have received cash through the Hunger Crisis Appeal project of the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) which targets 200,000 in the North.
The scheme is in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and has concluded the second round of cash distribution in Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Nasarawa, and Benue.
The plan is to reach 200,000 more people in “dire need of humanitarian support and facing food insecurity due to a combination of climate change, conflicts and COVID-19,” NRCS Secretary General Abubakar Kende explained in a statement.
“The situation is critical and is one that needs immediate attention. Millions are being affected, particularly women, the elderly, and vulnerable children.
“A good number of them are now in a situation where they do not know where their next meal will come from, and this is something that concerns us greatly.
“We are grateful to our funding partners; the American Red Cross, British Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross and Netherlands Red Cross; who have gone ahead to provide the needed resources to reach the most vulnerable people in 7 states.
“However, more support is still required as the funding gap is still huge vis-à-vis the needs.”
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Fighting hunger
The NRCS said it is fighting hunger in Northern states because the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO) estimates that about 19.4 million people in the region will face acute hunger between June and August this year.
The UNFAO report, released in March in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and other stakeholders, analyses acute food and nutrition insecurity in the Sahel and West African region, per Premium Times.
The report warned that
- The food crisis will affect Nigerians in 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including 416,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
- About 14.4 million people, including 385,000 IDPs in 21 states and the FCT, are already in the food crisis as of May 2022.
Reducing child mortality
The NRSC has integrated Mothers Club into its Hunger Crisis Emergency Appeal to teach mothers in local communities how to ensure proper nutrition for their children to reduce child mortality and prevent acute malnutrition.
“We know that if mothers have better information, it will lead to healthier children and a better society, that is why we have set up 140 Mothers Clubs in the 7 states.
“We are working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health on this,” NRSC Health and Care Coordinator Manir Jega said.
He disclosed the NRSC launched a 4.1 million Swiss Francs Emergency Appeal in 2021 and is revising it upwards to meet the growing needs on the ground but funding is a challenge because of the Russian war in Ukraine.