By: AUSTINE EMMANUEL, Kaduna
Justice, Development and Peace Caritas, (JDPC) has said that they will empower at least, 41 IDPs on different vocations to help curb the many challenges faced by internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kaduna State.
The Coordinator, JDPC Rev. Fr. Joshua Achir disclosed this to journalists in Kaduna at the weekend, during a visit to the IDP camp in Maraban Rido, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The foundation which donated food items, sanitary pads and other relief materials, said the 41 people are those who showed interest in learning skills to better their means of livelihood and therefore, they will do everything possible to assist them fulfill their dreams.
The food items distributed include, 20 bags of 100kg maize, 10 bags of 50kg rice, five bags of 100kg beans, 150 litres of palm oil and three cartoons of sanitary pads.
Achir appealed to humanitarian organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians to support the IDPs, saying that their life is pathetic, while calling on the governments at all levels to live up to their responsibility of securing lives and property of Nigerians to enable them go about to their normal businesses.
He said, “We are empowering 41 of the IDPs who indicated interest, they are going to learn skills like tailoring, hair dressing, soap and detergent making to enable them better their lives and that of their families.” He said.
The coordinator of the IDPs, Adams Sule said, “we have about 2,500 children here, most of the children are orphans, their parents were killed by bandits, most of the women here are widows, their husbands killed, we have over 4000 IDPs.
“Our major challenges here is hunger, the IDPs are suffering, our children can no longer go to school because our source of income is farming which the bandits have taken away from us.”
He appealed to Nigerians to support the IDPs, especially the children, in order for them to go back to school.
Thirteen-year-old Sandra Yohanna, who narrated her experience in the camp, said her mother usually puts salt in water for her and her siblings to drink as dinner before going to bed at times.
“My mother gave birth to 10 of us. We were kidnapped in 2021. My parents sold all our property to pay ransom. We don’t have any food at home. All of us are no longer going to school because my mother could not afford to pay our school fees. Sometimes my mother will put salt in water and ask us to drink and sleep because there is no food.
“I am appealing to Nigerians to help us and other IDPs with food and education because some of us want to go to school to be able to help our families,” Yohanna said.
