Women’s Day: Belinda Babila Foundations Plans Big
A cross section of facilitators during the Belinda Babila Foundations’ visit to the refugee camps in Nigeria
Mary Nnah
As the countdown to Women’s Day gathers momentum, Belinda Babila Foundation (BBF) alongside other NGOs are wrapping up plans to celebrate the day with widows and refugees in Nigeria. Founder of the foundation, Dr. Belinda Babila disclosed that plans are in top gear for a health outreach and empowerment visitation to refugee camps in Nigeria in March 2019 which will coincide with Women Day.
“In line with the upcoming Women’s Day, we are wrapping up plans to celebrate with the women at refugee camps in Nigeria and provide basic food items to them. We also want to buy about 500 chairs for the children’s church. The children currently attend church service and school on the floor”, she noted.
Babila disclosed that during her last visit in December 2018, her NGO did a need analysis of the refugees in order to empower them.
“The needs of the refugees are numerous. We have decided to set up an ITC training centre, tailoring workshop, acquire sewing machines for them and hold a soap making workshop among others. The objective is to empower them.”
Calling on donors to assist her NGO, Babila continued: “We are currently raising funds for our March Outreach. We implore all kind hearted and generous minded people to kindly join us in this campaign. Again we appreciate all those who have contributed. The refugees in Nigeria and IDPs in Cameroon extend their sincere gratitude.”
Speaking further on the December visit, she said, “It was a very touching experience for us. Speaking to the refugees one-one-one was quite touching. We visited the Cameroonian refugees at the Adagom Settlement in Ogoja LGA, Cross Rivers State, and we had a three-day empowerment outreach from December 13 to 16.”
Among others, over 200 patients got referrals for further evaluation while school uniforms were handed to school children. Hygiene packs were also handed out to teenagers. A huge quantity of medical supplies was donated by Rhemacare Clinic.
Ambazonia is a self-declared state consisting of the Anglophone portions of Cameroon which previously comprised South Cameroons In 2017, the Southern Cameroons Ambazonia Consortium United Front (SCACUF) declared independence but the Cameroonian government stated that the declaration has no legal weight and this has culminated in a refugee crisis that has displaced thousands of Ambazonians.
