{"id":15471,"date":"2020-09-18T18:34:01","date_gmt":"2020-09-18T18:34:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/?p=15471"},"modified":"2020-09-19T18:24:47","modified_gmt":"2020-09-19T18:24:47","slug":"eyn-disaster-relief-ministry-shares-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2020\/eyn-disaster-relief-ministry-shares-report\/","title":{"rendered":"EYN Disaster Relief Ministry reports on recent work in Nigeria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Summarized from reporting by Zakariya Mus<\/em>a<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The EYN Disaster Relief Ministry Team at the Brethren IDP Camp at Luvu. Photo by Zakariya Musa<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Reports from the Disaster Relief Ministry of Ekklesiyar Yan\u2019uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), dated July and August, have outlined the latest disaster relief work by the Nigerian Brethren. The work is centered in places that have suffered recent attacks, violence, and destruction by Boko Haram, as well as in IDP camps for displaced people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food and cooking and cleaning supplies were provided to 76 households in EYN\u2019s Debiro congregation in the Kwajaffa church district in Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State, after Boko Haram attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Debiro village has suffered Boko Haram attacks since 2014, with the most recent on May 6. Buildings that were burned in the attack included three churches (an EYN church, an ECWA church, and Deeper Life Bible Church) along with 69 houses with properties, two primary and secondary schools, and a health dispensary. One person named Audu Bata was burnt in his house. The nearby village of Jubhuhwi also was attacked and an EYN church there was burned along with three houses and one public school. Those in the area \u201cpresently live in fear of attack and experience kidnapping for ransom almost every week,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPastors working in the area while speaking to us during the intervention appreciate the EYN leadership and the donors for their concern and assistance,\u201d the report said. One of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the relief items received, without discriminating between Christians and Muslims. \u201cWe thank you for the unexpected assistance, we wish you safe journey and be protected as you help people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Food and other supplies distributed at the Brethren IDP Camp at Luvu. Photo by Zakariya Musa<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The ministry delivered food relief to several IDP camps including the Brethren IDP camp for displaced people at Luvu in the Karu area of Nasarawa State, the Celestial Church IDP Camp in the northeastern city of Maiduguri in Borno State, the Cherubim and Seraphim IDP Camp in Maiduguri, and the Shagari Low Cost IDP Camp in Maiduguri. At the latter, 86 people were offered health consultations and help with medications. \u201cStatistic revealed that malaria and epigastria disorder were common in the camp. Awareness on the COVID-19 pandemic was also given,\u201d said the report. The distributions in the camps included rice or maize, Maggi cubes, cooking oil, salt, detergent and soap, and some places \u201cdignity kits\u201d and in other places bags of fertilizer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In three areas the EYN Peace Program made one-on-one counseling available to people–both men and women–who \u201chave been traumatized and devastated as a result of the brutal activities of Boko Haram.\u201d Such counseling was offered in Chibok in Borno State, and in Gulak and Madagali in Adamawa State. \u201cSome have never had the opportunity to share their experiences so that they could be helped,\u201d said the report. \u201cFor the participants to have someone whom they trust to listen to what they experienced is a way forward that contributes to reduction of their trauma. And when they were asked at the end of the session, how are you feeling sharing your stories? They will say they feel relieved and being helped over their critical situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Medical care at the Shagari IPD Camp. Photo by Zakariya Musa<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Challenges facing both the disaster ministry and those it serves include bad roads, inability for humanitarian organizations to reach many devastated communities, increased insecurity including child rape and kidnappings, farmers prevented from going to their farms leading to serious food insecurity in an area that produces large quantities of food for the nation, many communities made more vulnerable by hunger, and inflation, with the cost of a bag of maize having almost doubled. In addition, there has been little governmental help, \u201cno viable effort to recover the ruined communities in the entire northeast, especially in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States\u201d and \u201cno or little mitigation plan in place to address the disaster ahead.\u201d The church itself has a limited response capacity, the report noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next activities for the disaster ministry include offering psychosocial support to women; educational assistance to orphans; food security at the CAN Center, an ecumenically supported IDP camp in Maiduguri; and water sanitation and hygiene work in three church districts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Zakariya Musa is a project officer for the Disaster Relief Ministry of Ekklesiyar Yan\u2019uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and communications staff for EYN.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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