Skip to main content

SASi, CBN distribute palliatives to over 400 FCT households

A non governmental organisation, Sow a Smile Initiative (SASi), in partnership with the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), has distributed palliatives to more than 400 households in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The palliatives consisting of packaged rice, beans, garri and facemasks, were distributed to FCT residents, including security officers, cleaners and low income earners at the Shippers Council Building, Wuse Zone 5 and residents of Jahi 2 community, through the Covenant Baptist Church, Jahi 2.

Addressing participants at the event, the Executive Director of SASi, Mr Patrick Otoro, said that the intervention, tagged "Food on Tables", is to put smiles on faces of low income earners and vulnerable households without regard to race, religion, creed or gender, especially at this period of COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the globe.

He said that SASi was founded just last month, with the first outing being the humanitarian outreach and that the NGO targets feeding more than one million households in a few years, even as he advised families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to have faith in God for intervention.

He said: "Because of this pandemic, a lot of people have lost their jobs and have no means of income or survival, so it makes us happy to intervene in people's lives and put smiles on their faces. In fact, our slogan is 'food on tables', as we aim to make sure that families have food to eat at this period. Once people are able to smile, then we will be happy and our objectives will be fulfilled.

"As you may know, federal and state governments, through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, distributed palliatives to households during this COVID-19 pandemic, but I am not sure it got to everyone, hence the decision of SASi to reach out to as many households as possible. This project is self funded as I believe God has made me reasonably comfortable. 

"In fact, I set up the NGO just last month and this is our first outing. However, due to the fact that CBN has been in the field for years, as an organisation that has been carrying out humanitarian interventions, we decided to partner so that we can exploit their contacts and logistics to reach out to target households in different communities."

Also speaking, the Regional Director of CBN Africa, Dr Felix Oisamoje, said that the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly bad for many families, but that, as a Christian organisation, families must first have food to eat before they can comfortably listen to preachings about God, hence its involvement in humanitarian interventions.

"The truth is that we have been championing the spread of the word of God for years, but we have been doing that by also providing humanitarian aids to families. In fact, It was a thing of joy to us at CBN when SASi approached us for partnership in the provision of palliatives to families in the FCT, through our humanitarian arm, Operation Blessing. 

"The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many families, so we have to do our best for them. People cannot listen to the word of God comfortably if they're hungry. Even Jesus in the Bible fed his followers, so we have to do our best for humanity," he said.

Showing his appreciation, one of the beneficiaries, Mr Isaiah Tanko, who works as a security officer in Wuse Zone 5, said that it has been difficult feeding his family during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period, but expressed gratitude to SASi for the humanitarian intervention.

"All I can say is that God will bless SASi and CBN for remembering a nobody like me. I have been finding it difficult to feed my family since the lockdown period, but this rice, beans and garri will go along way to feed my family for weeks. I am so excited and grateful to God. May He continue to bless the NGOs," he said.

Similarly, another beneficiary, Mrs Lilian Amsain, who resides in Jahi 2, said that it was the first time that an NGO would visit the community with palliatives since the COVID-19-induced lockdown and expressed happiness to be among the beneficiaries.

"I was amazed when I was called to partake in the palliatives. As you can see, many people here are Muslims and Christians, so it is not restricted to any sect. The palliatives will go a long way in cushioning the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, so I am glad for the intervention from SASi and CBN," she said.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Iheukwumere builds house for homeless man in Afikpo

The three-bedroom flat Iheukwumere built for Jaguar A House of Assembly aspirant in Afikpo, Ebonyi state, Mr Iheukwumere Okogwu Otu, has handed over a three-bedroom flat he built for a homeless man in Ezi Agbii, Ukpa, in Afikpo North local government area of Ebonyi state. Iheukwumere, who is the Special Adviser (SA) to Hon. Maria Ude Nwachi, member representing Afikpo North East Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly (EBHA), made the donation Tuesday during his birthday celebration. In an exclusive chat with Paul Okah Blog , Iheukwumere said that the kind gesture was borne out of the fact that the milk of kindness flowing in his veins could not allow him to bear the sight of the beneficiary, Mr Chukwu Oko (a.k.a Jaguar) being homeless. Iheukwumere said that, despite having limited resources, he dedicated his salary as SA to start the project in 2014, due to the fact that the beneficiary had been sleeping outside with his six children since 2007. He sa...

Don't quit by Edgar Albert Guest

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, when the road you're trudging seems all uphill, when the funds are low and the debts are high, and you want to smile but you have to sigh, when care is pressing you down a bit - rest if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns. As everyone of us sometimes learns. And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out. Don't give up though the pace seems slow - you may succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man; Often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor's cup; and he learned too late when the night came down, how close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turned inside out - the silver tint of the clouds of doubt, and when you never can tell how close you are, it may be near when it seems afar; so stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - it's when things seem...

Stop inflicting economic hardship on Ebonyians with tax demands, ex-SSG implores Umahi

Former Secretary to the State Government of Ebonyi State, Professor Benard Odoh, has implored the Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, to desist from inflicting economic hardship on Ebonyians. In an open letter he made available to Paulokahblog Friday morning, Odoh said that, "as a way of cushioning the devastating effects of the covid-19 pandemic on Ebonyi’s struggling economy, there is urgent need to jettison the collection of tenement rates/ground rents from landlords, excessive/forceful drive for quarry haulage levies and waiving of personal income taxes".  Odoh regretted that, despite the efforts of the state government in policing its borders against the COVID-19 pandemic, Ebonyi State, as of May 21, has recorded 13 cases and expressed hope that the situation would not get worse in the state in particular and Nigeria in general, even as he pledged support for the state government in ensuring that the active cases are managed successfully "to t...