NEHCON ...Promoting the right to life with dignity

 NAME OF  PROJECT

Northeast Humanitarian consortium (NEHCON).

VISION

Our vision amongst others is to promote community recovery in stable conditions and with dignity by improving the quality of life through creation of a healthy, fair and sustainable future for people in the northeast of Nigeria.

MISSION STATEMENT

We are committed to the provision of an innovative and synergistic approach to stabilize and dignify lives in the northeast.

OBJECTIVES

v  To add dignity and meaning to the life of women and children impacted by the insurgency.

v  To promote proactive quality and accountability initiatives in the early recovery stage in the northeast.

v  To support the return of children to school (basic education primary 1 to JSS3) and provision educational materials for both staff and pupils/students

v  Advocating for increased focus on synchronizing protection issues and humanitarian response.

v  To protect women and children impacted by human right abuses and violence.

v  To provide health education on preventive and promotive healthcare dimensions to the recovery process in the northeast.

v  To support IDP clinics in delivery of healthcare in IDP camps and communities.

v  To complement the massive recovery process in the post-conflict peace building phase in the northeast of Nigeria.

v  Promoting innovative approaches to community development.

v  To provide psychosocial support (PSS) to households impacted by insurgency and natural disasters.

v  Skill acquisition and economic empowerment for youth and women in communities.

v  Create a forum for fostering and adoption of children bereaved as a result of insurgency.

v  Advocating for proactive life saving/sustaining measures in the education system of vulnerable communities in the northeast (with emphasis on Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states).

PROJECT MOTTO/SLOGAN

Promoting the right to life with dignity.

PROJECT PHILOSOPHY

Alleviation of disaster induced human suffering must be synergistic to ensure stable  recovery with dignity.

PROJECT COMPONENTS

(1)  Healthcare dimension

• Malaria control: Mosquito nets, anti-malaria, Insect repellant cream, Malaria parasite test.
• General hygiene promotion
• Support IDP clinics [provision of drugs])
• Provision of first aid box.

(2)  Non-food items (clothes, detergent, cooking utensils, bed sheets, curtains, soap, detergent).

(3)  Education: (School bags, notebooks, biro, pencils, erasers, sharpener, ruler, mathematical set etc).

(4)  Food and nutrition: Rice, beans, maize flour, oil, maggi, salt, sugar, flour.

(5)  PSS

(6)  Human rights monitoring/defense.

(7)  Skill acquisition and economic empowerment (Youth and women).

(8)  Hygiene promotion: To be done with health and health related activities.

SOURCE OF FUNDING

This project is to be funded by member organizations. As a result, all organizations are required to send their donation at least one week to the scheduled date to the state coordinating officer. Donations can be in cash or in kind; but preferably in kind and should b at least worth N5000 if possible. Where an organization cannot afford this amount of goods, it is free to send in anything within its capacity.

PROJECT DURATION

This project is scheduled to last for 36 months. The first 6 months (PHASE 1) will be focusing on women and children; while the other 30 months (PHASE 2) focusing on youth/women empowerment.

LIST OF NEHCON MEMBERS

LIST OF NEHCON MEMBERS

PROJECT TARGET

(PHASE 1): This project has a target of reaching out to 720 households and 2880 vulnerable households in the first 6  months. It is also targeted towards the most vulnerable communities

PROVISIONAL WORKPLAN (JULY 2018-MARCH 2019)

REPORT ON

MEDICAL SUPPORT TO POMPOMARI IDP CLINIC, DAMATURU YOBE STATE

 PROJECT CODE: NEHCON002-YB

BY

ANDREW MIDUKU

NORTHEAST HUMANITARIAN CONSORTIUM (NEHCON)

IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS: Hope Interactive & Isaiah Balat Foundation

ADDRESS: Alhaji Isa House, Beside Eco-Bank, Ahmadu Bello way, Maiduguri road

Damaturu, Yobe State

EMAIL: hopeinteractive@gmail.com

PHONE: 08060875584, 08189921577

VENUE:Pompomari IDP Camp

DATE: 26^TH October, 2016

TIME: 01:00pm

GEOGRAPHY

Yobe state borders the Nigerian states of Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, and Jigawa. It borders the Diffa Region and the Zinder Region to the north in The Republic of Niger. Because the state lies mainly in the dry savanna belt, conditions are hot and dry for most the year, except in the southern part of the state which has a milder climate. It has a total population of 1,411,481 according to the 2006 population census; has 17 local government councils; an area of about 45,502 km²   

PREPARATORY ACTIVITIES

YOB001: Medical support to Pompomari IDP clinic was the product of synergy between Isaiah Balat Foundation (IBF) and Hope Interactive (HI). A planning meeting took place at IBF head office in Kaduna, Kaduna state.
 

Prior to the visit, NEHCON project team members (PTM) contacted the clinic head and SEMA Executive Secretary to intimate them about the proposed visit. A letter of introduction and list of items to be delivered were submitted to SEMA office. The team had a planning meeting to put in place adequate logistics for the visit.

• Drafting of order of proceedings
• Assign roles and responsibilities to team members
• Putting logistics in place such transport, purchase of materials, printing of banner etc.

Team member were as follows:

RESOURCES

Banner, Photo camera & car transportation.

INTRODUCTION

Northeast Humanitarian Consortium (NEHCON) is a coalition of CSOs whose vision is to promote community recovery in stable conditions and with dignity by improving the quality of life through creation of a healthy, fair and sustainable future for the people of northeast. Amongst its many objectives, one of it is “To support IDP clinics in delivery of health care in IDP camps and communities”

ACTIVITY

On the 26^th October, 2016 Isaiah Balat Foundation and Hope Interactive under the umbrella of NEHCON embarked on a visit to Pompomari IDP camp Damaturu. The aim of the visit was to support the camp clinic with drugs and necessary to help improve the health situation of IDPs in the camp.

Figure 3: NEHCON team arriving at the IDP clinic

On arrival of the team, Abubakar Bukar the Clinic head welcomed the team warmly and then introduction of team members and clinic assistants took place. A brief speech was delivered by Andrew Mshelia, where he stated the mandate of NEHCON and stressed that this particular activity was shouldered by Isaiah Balat Foundation and Hope Interactive. The drugs were presented to the clinic head, Bukar Abubakar who expressed gratitude to NEHCON, which in a brief speech described the intervention as apt and timely.

 He said with the gradual change in the weather, different cases of diseases are normally experienced and said the clinic just ran out of drugs. During the presentation, traditional/religious heads and children thanked the NEHCON and still pleaded on behalf of all the IDPs for support in other areas like shelter, food and house hold economic strengthening, which they said NGOs are the best/reliable partners to call upon for help.

The IDP clinic visited has about 8 beds and has visiting doctors from the state specialist hospital in Damaturu and University of Maiduguri teaching hospital weekly. Bukar Abubakar said the clinic has sufficient man power but has problem with regular supply of drugs, which he said would have help to solve basic health problems before they get out of hand. He also said they always refer patients to the state specialist hospital when conditions beyond the clinic are received. He added that none of the displaced children in the camp between the ages of 0-5years are malnourished according to the routine middle upper arm circumference (MUAC) measurement taken. He lamented the high incidence of malaria and typhoid in the camp and called on other organizations to emulate the distinguished move by NEHCON that gives the lives of IDPs a meaning. 

 The team a toured round the camp for a quick needs assessment:

(1)WATER: Water is not a problem in the camp. The team visited the water facility, which consist of a borehole, generator, an overhead tank and a water bowser.

(2) KITCHEN: Food was also not a problem in the camp as the government supplies food for the displaced persons.
 

(3)The IDP camp also has a junior secondary school (JSS 1-3), which is in a perfect condition with about 8 military men teaching. It consist of mobile classrooms (with furniture), and white boards but lacks markers, text books and some teaching aids.
 

CHALLENGES/RECOMMENDATION

In conclusion, the challenge encountered includes:

1. Managing the expectations of IDPs from visiting NGOs: IDPs in camps depend solely on support provided by NGOs and Government to survive. As a result, they are in a constant state of expectation.
2.  The bureaucracy that exist in the Government agency (SEMA) that delayed the delivery of the drugs.

Recommendation is that attention should be given to school and welfare of the IDPs in the camp.

Some quotes from some of the IDPs:

“We are very grateful for the support and may God bless you. Please the NGO should look into the need of providing us with blankets, sweaters, and cloths, because of winter is approaching and we don’t have money to buy them for ourselves.” – Bulama Kawu Modu. (Head of Traditional leaders, Gujba LGA)

“We have 7 internally displaced cluster of communities in the camp therefore we have 7 functional Bullama’s (community heads) though we work as a team to help ourselves. The demand for health services is high because people from the host communities come to the camp clinic, that makes the supplies to run out early and since it is health situation we cannot reject them. We need more drugs and most of the IDPs have financial problem (money for petty spending e.g money to buy sanitary pads, sheaving sticks, soap and detergents etc.)”  Bukar Abubakar, Pompomari IDP camp clinic Damaturu LGA.

“I will first of all say thank you to this organization for supplying us with drugs for our health because health is wealth but we also need some help to keep our health intact. We need the NGO to renovate our tents as they are our only source of shelter and they are wearing out and the weather is becoming unfriendly; we need shoes and sweaters. – Bulama Musa Grema, Gujba LGA.

“Human wants are not limited and as human beings we are never satisfied but looking at the school we are in serious need of learning materials like text books, white board markers, drawing materials for the kids. The students need school uniforms, games wears and school bags.” – S.S.   

PRESENTATION OF MEDICAL SUPPLY TO KUKARETA IDP CAMP, DAMATURU, YOBE STATE, NORTHEASTERN NIGERIA (19TH NOVEMBER 2016)

REPORT ON

MEDICAL SUPPORT TO KUKARETA IDP CLINIC, DAMATURU YOBE STATE

BY

NORTHEAST HUMANITARIAN CONSORTIUM (NEHCON)

IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS: Hope Interactive, Isaiah Balat Foundation and Life Bridge for progression outreach

ADDRESS: No. 3, Malari ward, beside ECWA Good news Church

Damaturu, Yobe State

EMAIL:hopeinteractivenortheast@gmail.com

PHONE: 08060875584, 08189921577

VENUE:Pompomari IDP Camp

DATE: 19^TH November, 2016

TIME: 11:00am

GEOGRAPHY

Yobe state borders the Nigerian states of Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, and Jigawa. It borders the Diffa Region and the Zinder Region to the north in The Republic of Niger. Because the state lies mainly in the dry savanna belt, conditions are hot and dry for most the year, except in the southern part of the state which has a milder climate. It has a total population of 1,411,481 according to the 2006 population census; has 17 local government councils; an area of about 45,502 km²   

Kukareta IDP camp is located about 20km east of Damaturu, Yobe state capital, along Damaturu-Maiduguri express way. Kukareta community has a boarding primary school, which has been converted into a military barracks. It has a total population of about 3000 and has been home to over 25,000 IDPS since the beginning of the insurgency.

PREPARATORY ACTIVITIES

NEHCON002-YB: Medical support to Kukareta IDP clinic was the product of synergy between Hope Interactive (HI) & Isaiah Balat Foundation (IBF) . A planning meeting took place at IBF head office in Kaduna, Kaduna state.

 NEHCON project team was given clearance by the state emergency management agency to implement the activity. The team had a planning meeting to put in place adequate logistics for the visit.

• Drafting of order of proceedings
• Assign roles and responsibilities to team members
• Putting logistics in place such transport, purchase of materials, printing of banner etc.

Team member were as follows

RESOURCES

Banner, Photo camera & car transportation.

INTRODUCTION

Northeast Humanitarian Consortium (NEHCON) is a coalition of CSOs whose vision is to promote community recovery in stable conditions and with dignity by improving the quality of life through creation of a healthy, fair and sustainable future for the people of northeast. Amongst its many objectives, one of it is “To support IDP clinics in delivery of health care in IDP camps and communities”

ACTIVITY

On the 19^th November, 2016 Hope Interactive, Isaiah Balat Foundation and Life bridge for progression outreach under the umbrella of NEHCON embarked on a visit to Kukareta IDP camp Damaturu, Yobe state. The aim of the visit was to support the camp clinic with drugs and necessary to help improve the health situation of IDPs in the camp.

THEORY OF CHANGE (ACTIVITY JUSTIFICATION)

If the health system in the camp is strengthened, then IDPs will live a healthy life and ultimately return to their communities with dignity because there will be improved service delivery in health care.

IMPLEMENTATION

On arrival, Bulama Modu the one of the Clinic head welcomed the team warmly. The team members introduced themselves. A brief speech was delivered by Dr Easy Japhet, where he stated the mandate of NEHCON and stressed that this particular activity was shouldered by Hope Interactive and Isaiah Balat Foundation. The drugs were presented to the clinic representative Bulama Modu who expressed gratitude to NEHCON, which in a brief speech described the intervention as apt and timely.

 CHALLENGES/RECOMMENDATION

No challenge was encountered this time.

Recommendation is that attention should be given to school and welfare of the IDPs in the camp.

and Life bridge for progression outreach

YOB004: NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND FOOD SUPPLY TO 66 IDPs

REPORT ON NEEDS ASSESSMENT

CONDUCTED IN POMPOMARI WARD, FOR 66 IDPS RELEASED FROM THE BESIEGED TOWN OF TALALA (GUJBA LGA, SOUTHEASTERN YOBE)

BY

IBRAHIM WAKIL

HOPE INTERACTIVE

YOBE ZONAL OFFICE

(Alhaji Isa House, Ahmadu Bello Way, Maiduguri road, beside Eco-Bank,  Damaturu, Yobe state)

DATE: 27^TH December 2016

Time 9:00am

Venue: Residence of Displaced Talala community head, Pompomari Ward, Damaturu, Yobe state, Northeastern Nigeria

NAME OF INTERVIEWEE: Salisu Ibrahim

AGE OF INTERVIEWEE: 40 years

VILLAGE: Talala

Sometimes in October 2016, just after the Eid-Eil Fitr Sallah celebration, was suffering from a swollen leg and finger when the village of Talala was besieged by boko-haram. They harassed us, took our wives away from us; forcefully married our girls; seized our livestock and food stuff and burnt our homes. We lived in the besieged town of talala with these merciless combatants for about two months. They have warned us severally that we should not attempt to escape or we will be killed. Some young boys attempted to escape but were caught.

An emergency assembly was organized and in the presence of everyone in the village, they were decapitated. This struck fear in the hearts of the villagers. A few managed to escape under the guise that they were going to cut firewood in the bush. A lot of escape attempts were foiled and punished until this faithful day in December 2016, when a faction broke out from the conventional Shekau group. The faction called the “Mamman Nur Faction” accused Shekau of indiscriminate killing of locals. They argued that Jihad does not allow indiscriminate killing and as a result resisted the other combatants loyal to Shekau. They expelled Shekau’s loyalist from Talala area and gave us the choice to either stay with them or leave if we want to. This gave us the privilege to leave; they also permitted us to carry some of our luggage which includes bicycles, pots etc.

66 of us (men, women and children) left Talala village.The Mamman Nur faction also gave us the option of either travelling towards Goniri in Gujba LGA (Yobe state) or towards Damboa LGA (Borno state). We chose the option of leaving towards Damboa. We arrived Maiduguri on the 20th of December and were conveyed to Bakassi IDP camp in Maiduguri, where we stayed for 6 days. We were given blankets, rice and other food stuff.  While in Bakassi IDP camp, we called on our community head Ba-Bulama, who came and brought us to Damaturu on the 26^th of December 2016.

As it is, we have no home, food or clothing. We are waiting for Pompomari community members and relates who are willing to take us in.  

 
QUOTES FROM IDPS

“We are so grateful to God for setting us free from that dungeon. We are praying that aid will come to us soon” – Alhaji Ari – 60 years

“I am praying that my family will soon find a place to reside because as it is now, we don’t even have a shelter” – Bukar Yalaye – 83 years

“It is unbelievable that today I am no longer under those bad boys. For now, we need food” Adamu Kachalla – 55 years

“I don’t think any of the boys that held us hostage are good, but the Mamman Nur faction is fair. We thank them for their fairness to have given us the choice to either stay or leave. Our basic problems now are shelter and food” – Mallam Jalo – 55 years

“What is more than freedom? This is nothing but the act of God. We never thought we will make it alive. Please let everyone know that we need help” – Kaumi Usman – 40 – years

LESSONS LEARNED

*The current military offensive is really liberating territories and BH captives.

*Apart from the Al-Barnawi faction, which claimed responsibility on the attacked in Kanamma, Yunisari local government some days ago (December 2016), The “Mamman Nur” faction also exist.

*There are some terror cells that still exist in between Borno and Yobe along the southeastern border.

* Sympathetic insurgents like the Mamman Nur faction could win the trust of locals if the Government does not step up its activities to become more responsive.