At Salama Resettlement Housing in Yola, 150 families who were severely affected by the 2024 floods in Adamawa have received essential food supplies donated by Mission Take Heart in partnership with the Catholic Diocese of Yola.
To help ease the economic challenges faced by Nigeria, essentials like maize, sugar, groundnuts, and beans were distributed.
The initiative, led by Mission Take-Heart in partnership with the Justice Development and Peace Commission, Catholic Diocese of Yola, reached families from eleven camps.
Bishop Stephen Dami Mamza of the Catholic Diocese of Yola, known for his consistent aid to IDPs, encouraged beneficiaries to use this relief to enhance their productivity and contribute to society.
He thanked Mission Take Heart for their support over the years, adding that such support has brought relief to hundreds of families, especially those displaced by the insurgents from 2014 to date.
He urged the recipients of the gesture not to sell the items, as they were meant to provide relief, considering the negative impact of floods and droughts on the livelihoods of farmers.
He also encouraged them to become self-reliant, as they are no longer considered as IDPs since they have been given accommodation and some incentives to begin a new life.
Bala Usman of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs praises Mission Take Heart and the Catholic Diocese of Yola for their timely support amidst rising living costs.
Ignatius Vandu, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, couldn’t contain their joy, smiling as they carried their food supplies home, grateful for the relief that would help ease their hunger.
Vandu said the donation has given hope to their households, emphasizing that this has been consistent support they received from Mission Take Heart in their longstanding partnership with the Catholic Diocese of Yola.
“When an announcement of the food was made at our settlements, there was a shout of joy. We knew it would be something tangible, as you can see,” Vandu said.
He assured the donors of the proper usage of the food supplies and pledged not to allow any of them to be taken to the market for any reason.
The relief brought smiles to their faces as they expressed heartfelt gratitude to the donors, thanking them for being a beacon of hope in their time of need.