Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The Anambra State Directorate of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Awka, and a Non-Governmental Organisation, Hope Givers Initiative (HOG-I), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to embark on empowerment programme for indigent women and the girl child in three flood prone communities in Anambra State.
The empowerment will be carried out through Global Fund for women.
The two organisations signed the MoU when the Executive Director of the Initiative, Mrs. Onyeka Udegbunam and her team paid a courtesy visit to the NOA State Director, Sir Joseph Uchendu, at his office in Awka.
Mrs Udegbunam, who signed the MOU on behalf of the HOG-I in the course of the visit said the current programme they have at hand now in Anambra State hinged on empowerment of indigent women and girl child in Ossamala Community in Ogbaru Local Government Area and Ebenebe and Ugbenu Communities in Awka North local Government Area of the State.
According to her the both communities are ravaged by flood being situated in the flood prone areas of the State.
She noted that her organisation is currently working to reduce the impact of flood on people of the State and that NOA had worked with the organisation in different programmes organised in the State by the organisation.
Mrs Udegbunam emphasised that the crux of their visit was to ask for a partnership with the NOA to assist them in the area of information dissemination concerning their current programmes in the State on flood crisis and other matters.
She affirmed that the organisation had realised that most times,after flood disasters, a lot of girls in the flood ravaged communities drop out of school while women pass through excruciating pain to feed themselves and their children.
She pointed out that the organization is looking at what they can do alternatively to assist the women in preserving their farm produce even when the flood is over for effective storage and for their future survival.
Speaking further, Mrs. Udegbunam, said that because of power tussle in most communities, the organisation has decided to use cooperative style to take care of the equipment and the revenue generate therein for sustainability of the programme.
The Director who said that the organisation had planned to accommodate Ossamala and Oguaniocha communities in Ogbaru LGA in their programme, explained that it opted out from Oguaniocha because of the lingering insecurity in the area.
She further said: “Having done the need assessment of the Ebenebe Community in Awka North whose women were mainly farmers, we would procure a brand new garri processing machine for them. In other communities we have not assessed their needs. Because of that, they have to wait for now.”
Responding, NOA State Director, Sir Joseph Uchendu, thanked the HOG-I for initiating the move and recalled that the Agency had partnered with the Organisation in implementing other various grassroots-oriented programmes in the
State with sound feedback elicited from the general public for policy making in the State and Nigeria in general.
Uchendu reassured that NOA will partner with HOG-I in its quest to reduce sufferings of women and girl child in the flood ravaged communities. He expressed hope that the current programme will help improve the lives of women in the area.
