Nigeria Crisis Response celebrates work and achievements in 2017

Church of the Brethren Newsline
January 12, 2018

by Roxane Hill

A Nigerian woman receives a bag of food at one of the distributions of aid made through the Nigeria Crisis Response. This distribution was organized by the Center for Caring, Empowerment, and Peace Initiatives, one of the Nigerian nonprofits that partner in the Nigeria Crisis Response that is a joint effort of the Church of the Brethren and Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). Photo by Donna Parcell.

I am amazed at the end of each year when I add up and record all the work that has been done in Nigeria by the Nigeria Crisis Response, a joint effort of the Church of the Brethren and Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). Last year, 2017, was no different.

Although our funds were considerably less, the number of people helped is incredible. The organizations we sponsored have worked tirelessly to help their own people, as they struggle with the Boko Haram insurgency and its effects. Other organizations helping fund this work include Mission 21 and Mennonite Central Committee.

Here is a recap of 2017:

24 food distributions to 75 to 250 families at each distribution.

3,600 families received seeds, and 1,800 families received fertilizer, in 29 districts of EYN and 2 relocation villages.

1,664 orphans and vulnerable children assisted through independent learning centers, school fees, and full-time care.

472 women helped with businesses and empowered to care for themselves, through seminars, literacy programs, and cash start-ups.

16 medical responses to groups of 400 to 950 people at a time.

50-plus communities involved in a joint soy beans project of EYN, the Illinois-based Soybean Innovation Lab, and the Global Food Initiative of the Church of the Brethren.

Agricultural trainings held in Kenya with Farming God’s Way, and an ECHO training in Nigeria.

2 tractors purchased and put in use in the Kwarhi and Abuja areas.

9 people participated in a peace training in Rwanda through Turning the Tides of Violence.

10 workshops for peace and trauma healing were held at various locations, including training of Listening Companions at the local level.

Real-time evaluation conducted of the EYN disaster work, and a Tripartite meeting was held.

An EYN Solar Powered Internet café was put in place.

100 homes destroyed by Boko Haram received new roofing.

Building projects including the Kwarhi Medical Clinic, new offices for EYN, and roofing of a classroom at Kulp Bible College.

10 new water sources including one at the EYN relocation camp in Maiduguri.

Assistance to the area of Numan following an attack by Fulani herdsmen.

Shipment of a container of books and distribution of books to children’s schools and EYN Bible schools.

Assistance for the medical bills of one of the Chibok schoolgirls who has been released from captivity.

— Roxane Hill coordinates the Nigeria Crisis Response. For more information go to www.brethren.org/nigeriacrisis .

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