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Day: November 1, 2022

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ActionAid, SSDO Organizes a Sensitization Rally on Climate Change

Nigeria’s climate has been changing: temperature increases; variable rainfall; rise in sea level and flooding; drought and desertification; land degradation; more frequent extreme weather events; affected freshwater resources, and loss of biodiversity. The durations and intensities of rainfall have increased, producing large runoffs and flooding in many places in Nigeria. 

Rainfall variation is projected to continue to increase. Precipitation in southern areas is expected to rise, and rising sea levels are expected to exacerbate flooding and submersion of coastal lands. Droughts have also become a constant in Nigeria and are expected to continue in Northern Nigeria, arising from a decline in precipitation and rise in temperature. Lake Chad and other lakes in the country are drying up and at risk of disappearing.

Floods are a recurring natural hazard in Nigeria and have become more frequent throughout the country in recent decades. Agriculture, health, infrastructure, the economy, and trade are all negatively impacted, as evidenced in 2012 when severe floods contributed to reduced economic growth in agriculture and trade. This is coupled with the trigger of the Lagba Dam in Cameroon which has drastically increased the level of flooding in the country affecting over ten states.

Increased flooding due to rising sea levels will negatively impact agriculture, the economy, coastal infrastructure, human health, coastal ecosystems, and human settlements. Sea levels have been rising along the coast of Nigeria, causing coastal erosion and some villages to be lost. It has been estimated that a 1-meter rise in sea level could cause 75% of the land in the Niger Delta to be lost.

Over the past few weeks, different states have felt the sting of the floods. In as much as the government has a role, we also have a part to play to ensure the earth is habitable and safe. The effect of human activities has a telling effect on the atmosphere. And nobody is exempted from these devastating effects. Hence, the need for sensitization to raise awareness about climate change. 

Understanding these effects, ActionAid Nigeria, in partnership with South Saharan Social Development Organization, is playing its part in creating awareness and sensitizing people on steps to take to combat climate change. The message was simple: “There is no planet B. Protect the environment today.” 

The rally also sensitized people on what they can do to protect the environment from their corner: 

– Cut down waste

– Conserve water

– Plant a tree

– Walk more

– Spread the word.

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SSDO, ActionAid Provides Thirty Four-Seater Desks to Three Primary School

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

Marginalized communities are often characterized by a higher prevalence of poverty, lack of infrastructure, and low access to healthcare and education, of which the biggest victims are children. This affects their standard of living and quality of life. There has to be a deliberate focus to improve access to health and education for such communities to improve development. 

Often, children in these communities don’t have access to quality educational facilities. Putting them at a disadvantage when compared to their peers in urban areas. The lack of amenities like potable water and functional health centers also impact on their ability to learn and be productive in class.  

Understanding this need, South Saharan Social Development Organization, in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria through the Local Rights Programme, is doing its part to improve education in marginalized communities. The project provided ten 4-seater desks each for Divine Favour Nursery and Primary School Abor Isiala Community in Isi Uzo LGA, Community Primary School, Oduma Achara, Ani-nri LGA and Community primary school Nkume Community, Uzo Uwani LGA.

In a ceremony on the school premises on Friday, 30th of September 2022, the headmistress of Community Primary School expressed her gratitude by thanking the organizations for their effort. “You can see the joy and the way the kids danced. That says it all. We’re grateful to SSDO and ActionAid for this timely intervention.”

Stakeholders present include School Based Management Committee Chairman, Mr. Ovili, LGA Councilor, Mr. Amos Orji, SSDO’s Head of Programs, Udochukwu Egwim, SSDO’s LRP Project Lead, Perpetual Njoku, Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) chairpersons, teachers, and community representative of the schools amongst others. 

SSDO’s Head of programs, Udochukwu Egwim, stated that the importance of education cannot be overemphasized. “We as an organization will do our best to ensure that kids are in school and a lack of facilities would not be a stumbling block to their learning development.”

Through its child sponsorship mechanism, the project aims to reduce poverty by engaging with the poor and marginalized in selected communities.

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SGI Impact; Beyond GBV Advocacy to Conflict Resolution

The Sister Guardian Initiative (SGI) is a South Saharan Social Development Organization’s flagship on reducing violence against women at the community level. The Sister Guardian Initiative, which is currently implemented in 19 communities in Enugu and Anambra State, taps into existing community-based women groups to identify women, referred to as Sister Guardians (SG), who are willing to stand in the gap and advocate for other women facing different kinds of abuse. They are majorly drawn from the circle of influential women in the community for instance: the Traditional rulers wives, Political women leaders, Religious women leaders, Umuada women leaders, Market women leaders  

The initiative provides immediate support to female victims of violence – safety, counseling, and mediation with the husband and family members and when it is necessary for the cases to be referred to the police and other relevant agencies for the women, they support the women in prosecuting their case either at the community level with the extended family and village authorities, or the police and courts as the case may be, ensuring the women are never alone. In addition, they advocate against violence against women (VAW) at the community level and also educate women and the community at large on their civic responsibilities. 

It also advocates against violence against women at the community level and educates women and the community on their civic rights and responsibilities.

Beyond this, the initiative also helps with conflict resolution among community members. In September, the SGI Project lead mediated between a contractor and Orokoro community over equipment supply. Ultimately, an agreement was brokered on the way forward between both parties.

The project lead had a series of meetings with the contractor and community separately and then organized a meeting between both parties to reach a truce and proffer a solution that would lead to the electrification of the community.

The community engaged a contractor to help as an expert to liaise with EEDC on how to power Orokoro community. The contractor was paid and was not heard from for a long time. During this period, the community assumed that the contractor had eloped with their money. And sought the help of the Sister Guardian Initiative. 

After a series of inquiries, the project lead reached the contractor and met with him to find out his side of the story. He stated he has been executing the task for which he was paid. Having heard his side of the story, the project lead arranged a meeting with the community members and the Igwe to resolve the issue and broker a way forward peacefully. 

The contractor showed documents of payment to the EEDC and explained how far he had gone with the job. He promised to complete the job in a few weeks and deliver on the agreement with the community. 

The community members were happy with the outcome of the meeting, and a member of the community echoed this. “I am happy that Sister Guardian was able to intervene. Because for a long time we didn’t hear from him and it seemed like we had been cheated. SSDO, through the Sister Guardian, was able to arrange a meeting and help us know what was happening to the project.”  

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Sister Guardian Initiative Supports Bereaved Members

The Sister Guardian Initiative (SGI) is a South Saharan Social Development Organization’s flagship on reducing violence against women at the community level. The Sister Guardian Initiative, which is currently implemented in 19 communities in Enugu and Anambra State taps into existing community-based women groups to identify women, referred to as Sister Guardians (SG), who are willing to stand in the gap and advocate for other women facing different kinds of abuse. They are majorly drawn from the circle of influential women in the community for instance: the Traditional rulers’ wives, Political women leaders, Religious women leaders, Umuada women leaders, Market women leaders etc.

These SGs provide the immediate support to female victims of violence – safety, counseling, mediation with the husband and family members and when it is necessary for the cases to be referred to the police and other relevant agencies for the women, they support the women in prosecuting their case either at the community level with the extended family and village authorities, or the police and courts as the case may be, ensuring the women are never alone. In addition, they advocate against violence against women (VAW) at the community level and also educate women and the community at large on their civic responsibilities. 

Beyond combating gender-based violence, one goal of the Sister Guardian Initiative is to build a strong women executive that wields enough influence to advocate and adjudicate for women’s rights in the community.

To achieve unity and cohesion among the team members, it is important to also support each other in their grieving times.

South Saharan Social Development Organization financially supported the members of a bereaved family who lost their wife and mother, who is a member of the Sister Guardian community in Orokoro community. The initiative was also able to support a family in Eke community as well.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families in this trying time.