Foundation for Justice, Development and Peace (FJDP), a Non Governmental Organization, in collaboration with United National High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), and other partners have trained and equipped over 400 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue state to start up their personal businesses.
The over 400 IDPs living in various camps in five local government areas of Benue State were trained in various skills and given start-up kits.
The organizations also distributed relief materials such as dignity kits, COVID-19 buckets, among others, to the IDPs to help cushion their plights in the camps.
During presentation, the Programme Officer for FJDP, Deborah Tom, who spoke in Daudu IDP camp 1, in Guma local government area of the state, said the IDPs have been trained in the last one year in various skills to enable them create wealth, fend for their family and be self reliant.
She stated that the organization is expecting the beneficiaries to empower
themselves so as to move away from poverty, hunger and the hardships of feeding from hand to mouth.
She thanked UNHCR, United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and other agencies for their contributions saying the exercise, being a joint project titled: “Transitioning From Humanitarian Relief To Long-Term Development, is aimed at helping the IDPS.
“While we look out for their protection needs, we also try to see that they are not violated and that they have the basic needs to sought out the livelihood problems,” she said.
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Meanwhile, the Camp Secretary, Mr. Nyitar Benedict, thanked the agencies and organizations for the effort and pray that God keeps them to enable them extend similar gestures to others in same challenges.
One of the beneficiaries, Ternenge Nyitor, commended the foundation and partners for empowering them after their one year training, saying the kits will go a long way in helping them to create wealth.
One of the trainers, Atongu Friday, said the IDPs were good to go with the training they have received in skills like welding, tailoring, soap making, among others.