A civil society organisation, CSO, WASHMATA Initiative has supported Mpape, a suburb in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, with 5,000 litres of water and 150 bags of assorted foodstuff to cushion effects of the lockdown and stay-at-home orders to contain the Coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.
This is inline with Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which observes that water scarcity affects more than 40 percent of people an alarming figure that is project to rise as temperature do.
It was also projected that 2050, at least One of Four people will suffer recurring water shortages.
These was parts of what prompted the donation made by the Founder, WASHMATA INITIATIVE, Dr Bolu Onabolu who said the times are difficult for people and deemed it necessary to contribute to support and ameliorate the plight of the people in the area.
Dr Onabolu was represented by the Director of Communications, WASHMATA INITIATIVE, Wale Elekolusi, and the Director of Mobilisation, WASHMATA INITIATIVE, Aisha Bakpet.
Onabolu also said with the intervention as palliative most people will not feel the impact of the lockdown and stay-at-home orders, which they have also done same to support the Orphanage Home, City of Refuge Orphanage, in the area because of their vulnerability.
She explained that INITIATIVE is a non-governmental organisation that is always with the people and as an organization we deemed it necessary to come over to Mpape with over 1.5 million people living here.
She also most of the residents are daily income earners and dominated by artisans who are not finding the stay-home and lockdown easy as a result of the fight against the deadly Coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.
“We were moved by your and as a responsible and people-oriented organization we will continue to carry our corporate social responsibility even after the pandemic, and that is for all Nigerians to benefit from it because we are not looking at any background but welfare and well being of Nigerians,” she said.
Also, the Director of Communication in the organisation, Wale Elekolusi called on the government to include a very important aspect of the fight against the virus, which is regular water supply to the people, especially those at the rural communities and semi-urban areas, because is currently lacking.
He also emphasized proper sanitation and hygiene practices that should be done in collaboration with Federal Minister of Water Resources, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Rural Water and Sanitation Agencies that would truck water into vulnerable areas, slums, markets, health facilities and initiate urgent rehabilitation of non-functional water supplies for communities, health care facilities, and others.
Meanwhile, District Head of Katampe, Alhaji Adamu Diga, and women leader, Lamine Anthony, expressed deep appreciation to WASHMATA with the promise to guard the tanks jealously and to set up a committee to maintain it.
Also at the City of Refuge Orphanage where WASHMATA donated food items, buckets for washing hands and trucking of Water to its tank, the proprietress of the orphanage, Mrs Esther Odesola who was represented by Mrs Ngozi Udeze prayed for the organization.
“We appreciate the gesture by WASHMATA INITIATIVE to City of Refuge Orphanage, the children and staff appreciate you and will use them well.
“In fact, your organization is the the first government or nongovernmental organization to reach out to us since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. We thank you very much”, Udeze said.
The food items include garri, beans, soap, wash-hand basins, nose-masks, water, sanitisers, water tank, and others.
