On the 14th of September, Chiggy Nsofor Foundation (CNF) successfully carried out a significant outreach at the New Kuchingoro IDP camp in Abuja. Through the outreach tagged “Project HEEM ─ Humanitarian Aid, Education, Empowerment and Medical Care”, CNF targeted the most pressing needs of camp residents and delivered essential food items, scholarships, empowerment and medical care to several internally displaced individuals.
Camp residents and families from neighboring communities benefited from free medical consultations, tests, and medications, with services that included malaria and typhoid tests, blood pressure checks, diabetes screenings, and HIV tests, among others. CNF also provided free medications to treat conditions previously mentioned including ulcers, fever, diarrhea, malnutrition, and many more ailments. The medical team on-site, which included certified doctors, nurses, medical lab scientists, and pharmacists, attended to men and women (both young and elderly), children, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and their babies totaling over four hundred (400) beneficiaries.
To address immediate hunger needs in the IDP camp, CNF distributed essential food supplies to several families benefitting over 420 individuals. They were given non-perishable items like rice, beans, maize, garri, palm oil and more. Under the empowerment arm of the outreach, CNF financially empowered several small business owners to scale their businesses and provided them with business logbooks for accountability purposes. Children in the IDP camp were not left behind as we provided twenty-eight (28) students whose parents could not afford their fees with 3-year scholarships to continue their secondary school education as it aligns with our mission. They were also given educational materials such as school bags, books, and pens ensuring that they have access to learning opportunities and materials despite their challenging circumstances.
Speaking at the outreach, CNF’s Founder, Chiggy Nsofor said, “These people have been through so much, and we are here to bring them the support they need to live a healthier and better quality of life”. She continued, “Through Project HEEM, we aim to treat illnesses prevalent in IDP camps and empower them. Our commitment to the well-being of internally displaced persons remains unwavering”. The Founder also expressed gratitude to volunteers, partners and donors including Kora, a payment infrastructure, for their support towards the success of Project HEEM.
The Assistant Camp Secretary, Mrs. Hannatu Katghaya, spoke on the hardship that residents of the camp face and expressed profound appreciation on behalf of the community to the Foundation on the magnitude of impact she witnessed. She stated, “In this hardship, families cannot afford food, drugs or school fees, that is why I am amazed, excited, and happy. I really appreciate the Chiggy Nsofor Foundation for all they have done today.”
Several beneficiaries also shared their heartfelt thanks for the timely assistance as many of them have been sick with no money to treat themselves. Rahama Zuliat, Mustapha Umar and several others thanked the foundation for the free drugs, food items, scholarships and financial empowerment provided for them.
As part of its ongoing mission, CNF plans to extend her outreach activities to other vulnerable communities across Nigeria, ensuring that those who are displaced continually receive the support they need.