As a response to the humanitarian crisis of hunger and starvation, particularly among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and other categories of vulnerable groups, ASATTAHIR INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION (AIF) has, today, the 11th October, 2022 launched a Feeding Program for 1000 people that include IDPs and other categories of Vulnerable Groups in Sokoto state, Nigeria.
The Feeding Program is meant to alleviate the devastating consequences of hunger, starvation and malnutrition among vulnerable groups in the society especially the IDPs, PLWDs, and the economically disadvantaged groups such as women, girls, children and the elderly. The Feeding Program provides nutritious meals for 1000 people cutting across specific vulnerable targets.
The meal packs, which include rice, stew, meat and satchet water, were distributed at Ramin Kura and Gwiwa Eka IDP camps and few other locations within Sokoto metropolis.
The intervention is a follow-up to a health risk assessment conducted by the Foundation, particularly on children at Ramin Kura and Gwiwa Eka IDP camps.
The Body Mass Index (BMI) evaluation carried out showed that most of the children in the IDP camps are underweight majorly due to poor nutrition and WASH practices which could potentially result in acute malnutrition and health crises among the Internally Displaced Persons if the trend is not reversed, swiftly.
At the commencement of the Feeding Program, the Founder and Chairman Board of Trustees of ASATTAHIR, Aliyu Sidi Attahiru led a delegation that included the Distribution Officer of the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mika’ilu Mohammad and other staff of the Foundation to Ramin Kura and Gwiwa Eka IDP camps where the food packs were distributed to women, youths, children and the elderly.
Before the distribution of the food packs, the IDPs were sensitised on WASH practices such as Hand Washing and general sanitation. There was practical demonstration on effective hand washing and good hygiene techniques.
The Feeding Program is an expansion of the existing feeding program of the Foundation that targets at least 100 people daily in communities for record period of seven years. Over 200,000 people have been benefiting from the daily feeding program of both cooked meals and raw food items (RFIs) in Sokoto state, especially IDPs, PLWDs, students, women, youths and OVCs.
The great feasts ended with expressions of joy and group photographs with the beneficiaries across all distribution locations.
