To ensure a holistic and cross-cutting project intervention, beneficiaries and stakeholders must be involved. They should have their say in evaluating the most pressing needs they have.
South Saharan Social Development Organization, SSDO, in partnership with WaterAid Nigeria, organized a stakeholder meeting with the Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD) at the Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development.
The meeting aimed to strengthen the relationship between WaterAid, SSDO, and JONAPWD by including them in project implementation and monitoring. And also to continue facilitating disability-friendly facilities going forward.
Stakeholders present include executive members of JONAPWD, WaterAid Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning Officer, SSDO WASH Program Lead and Associate, WASH media, and a sign translator.
We understand the place of advocacy in seeing a behavioral change in communities. Particularly concerning the reduction of gender-based violence. It helps to promote human rights, social inclusion, equality, and social justice.
Understanding its importance in executing the Sister Guardian Initiative, South Saharan Social Development Organization, SSDO places a premium on advocacy to bring about the much-needed change of reducing violence against women.
SSDO’s Gender Officer, Blessing Uchendu, embarked on an advocacy visit to the traditional rulers of Aduachi and Ihenyi communities to ascertain the level of inclusion and participation of women in their cabinet. The traditional rulers confirmed that the women are actively involved in the decision-making processes of the traditional ruling council.
We appreciate the efforts of these traditional rulers for being forward-minded. Women’s involvement in the traditional council will provide a unique perspective that the leaders would have otherwise not seen.
WaterAid Nigeria, in partnership with South Saharan Social Development Organization, will implement the third phase of the Heineken Africa Foundation Project.
The project will complement the results of the first and second phases to drive hygiene promotion in response to COVID-19 using a behavior-centered design approach leveraging the mass media, advocacy, and community-based approach to reach its target audience. It will also see the installation and rehabilitation of water facilities across Enugu state.
The project was officially launched on the 22nd of September 2022 and offered a unique opportunity to enlighten stakeholders, raise media awareness, and develop a suitable implementation strategy across the state.
Stakeholders present include the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Water Resources, ENRUWASSA, ENSUBEB, Bureau of Statistics, Economic Planning, Representative from the Ministry of Health, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Environment Represented, The STU Coordinator, Ministry of Rural Development, Primary HealthCare, LGA WASH Coordinator, WASH Media.
The Nigerian general election comes up in the next five months. Voter registration is over, and citizens must pick up their permanent voter’s cards and exercise their franchises. Over time, data has shown that only a handful of registered voters come out to vote. In the 2019 presidential elections, only 37 percent of registered voters showed up on election day.
We realize that there’s a lackluster attitude of citizens to casting their votes on d-day. Some have attributed this to election day violence, a lack of belief in the power of their vote making a difference, and others believe vote buying is such a big deal. While some say the level of corruption in the system is neck deep and their singular votes can’t make any difference.
While there’s some iota of truth in their worries, it is paramount to understand that change starts from an individual. And ultimately, votes are what put people in power. The longer citizens shy away from exercising their constitutional rights, the longer mediocre leaders get to the corridors of power barely opposed.
Understanding this, ActionAid Nigeria, in partnership with South Saharan Social Development Organization, organized a civic awareness and sensitization rally on PVC collection. The message for the rally was simple: “Your votes decide the future. Your PVC is your voice. Your vote is your power; use it wisely.”
PVCs registered from June 2021 to January 15, 2022, are ready for collection. PVCs registered from January 16th to June 30th, 2022, will be ready for collection in October. The PVCs registered from July 2022 will be ready for collection in November.
NCF, SSDO Organises a Sensitization Rally on Vulture Conservation
The Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) and South Sahara Social Development Organisation (SSDO) have carried out a walk and sensitization of residents of Enugu State on the need to conserve vultures.
The walk, which is meant to commemorate International Vulture Day 2022, titled: “A Mile for Egyptian Vulture”, witnessed sensitization within major roads in Enugu metropolis for several hours on Thursday.
The aim of the rally is to create awareness on the importance of vultures to the ecosystem and why they need to be protected, especially the Egyptian Vultures. Vultures are scavengers and natural cleaning agents. By feasting on carcasses, they remove pathogens and toxins from the dead animals that would have infected the environment. This is possible because their stomach contains a potent acid that destroys the harmful substances found in dead animals.
However, research has shown that the vulture population is on a steady decline and some species are fast going extinct. There is a healthy vulture population in Enugu state. These vultures existence is threatened by illegal killing and trading of vultures.
Mr. Oladapo Soneye, Head of Communications, NCF, stated “There is a wrong cultural impression people have about vultures. People assume seeing vultures mean bad omen and then do everything possible to get rid of them.” “Others say vultures are ugly and have no usefulness and then proceed to harm them. Today we want to change the narrative of killing vultures and destroying their habitat.”
Speaking, the Head of Programmes in SSDO, Mr Udochukwu Egwim, said the economic and health benefits of allowing the vulture do their naturally assigned role of environmental cleaning agents cannot be over-emphasized. Egwim noted that vultures ensure the “essential balance in the eco-system” and do much by their activities to protect life both of humans and animals in a given environment.
“We are on this to ensure that as change agent, which SSDO stands for, we ensure that our people do the right thing and ensure that international best practices meant to benefit every human on earth is done,” he said.
Egwim noted that it was unfortunate that about 150 vultures were found dead in Ihe community in Awgu Local Government Area of the state about two years ago.
“SSDO has carried investigation on the matter and did awareness with the residents of the community on vultures’ protection as well as set up a vulture volunteer watch group.
“The protection group, made up of hunters, farmers, youths and traditional authority, will watch-over and preserve vultures in the community henceforth and report any threat to NCF and SSDO,” he said.
