To mitigate the impact of the flooding that severely affected residential areas in the Bare community of Numan Local Government, the Mennonite Central Committee, in collaboration with the Catholic Diocese of Yola, has commenced the distribution of food and non-food items to one hundred and ten affected households.
The distribution event was held at St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Bare, Numan Local Government, and was coordinated by Reverend Father Maurice Kwairanga, the Director of the Justice, Peace, and Development Commission.
During the distribution, Most Reverend Dr Stephen Dami Mamza, the Catholic Bishop of Yola, articulated that the Mennonite Central Committee, an Anabaptist organization headquartered in the United States and Canada, has joined forces with the Catholic Diocese of Yola to provide emergency assistance to those impacted by the flooding.
Bishop Mamza underscored the importance of enhanced collaboration among the church, governmental bodies, and non-governmental organizations in delivering sustenance and support to marginalized individuals within society.
In his remarks, he expressed gratitude to the Mennonite Central Committee members for their continual support of the church’s efforts.
Additionally, the Bishop urged the beneficiaries to abstain from selling the distributed items and to utilize them for their intended purposes.
He further noted that cooperation with local authorities, community leaders, and the Emergency Preparedness and Response Team in Bare Local Government facilitated the effective oversight of the distribution process.
Mr. Danjuma Mailambu, a representative of the Mennonite Central Committee, indicated that this intervention would extend assistance to the one hundred and ten flood victims for three months. He elaborated that the organization is committed to empowering the most vulnerable segments of the population rather than merely broadening the extent of assistance, thereby aiding their recovery from the trauma caused by the flooding.
In a collective response, Mr Jackson Amna, the District Head of Bare, along with Mama Agnes Madina, extended their appreciation to the Mennonite Central Committee and the Catholic Diocese of Yola for their generous support, especially during this period of economic hardship.
They concluded with a prayer for divine blessings and fortification for all those involved in this humanitarian effort.
Each recipient received eight essential items, including bags of maize, rice, beans, cooking oil, mats, detergent, bathing soap, and Izal, a disinfectant.