Great swaths of Nigeria’s North East have been scorched by the menace of Boko Haram, the militant group that has until recently wreaked havoc in that part of the country. Thousands of lives have been lost, and millions have been displaced. The Federal Government continues to push hard against the group, in what have been back-and-forth campaigns. Those who have lost their homes are forced to live in less than satisfactory conditions, housed in camps that accommodate thousands of people. Images of severely malnourished children from the North East have reached the television screens of Nigerians, bringing shock and a feeling of helplessness to those who watch.
The Wecare4IDPs campaign is a response to the needs of internally displaced persons. Created by the Union Bank of Nigeria, the initiative brings together corporate bodies and humanitarian groups to work towards raising the living standards of IDPs in the North East. It comes on the heels of warnings from international humanitarian organizations that millions of Nigerians in North Eastern states are at risk of being affected by severe food shortage. WeCare4IDPs aims to rally support from Nigerians to deal with this and many other challenges faced by IDPs.
How the Campaign Works
The campaign organizers are calling on Nigerians to contribute at least ₦1,000 towards the cause of improving the lives of IDPs; the hope is that about ₦1.05 billion will be raised for projects targeted at the 8.5 million persons who have lost their homes due to the impact of the Boko-Haram insurgency in the North East. Funds gathered will be used for the execution of projects in nutrition, healthcare, water sanitation and hygiene, education and economic empowerment. These projects are to be implemented in 2017.
A steering committee will manage donations; members of the committee will be drawn from the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, the United Nation’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Union Bank, as well as independent personalities. Union Bank will be responsible for disbursing the funds; this process will be overseen by the UNOCHA and the steering committee.
Corporate organizations can also take part in the campaign by obtaining and using campaign materials, which can be requested via email. They can also own the campaign by branding it with their organization’s name, promote it on media platforms (including social media, TV, radio broadcasts), or donate to the initiative.
Contributions can be made online or by bank deposit or transfer to the campaign’s dedicated account. The WeCare4IDPs fund mobilization drive ends two weeks from the commencement date (December 16).
For enquiries, send an email to info[@]wecare4idps[dot]org. Visit www.wecare4idps.org to find out more about the WeCare4IDPs initiative.