VSF supports victims of insurgency in Adamawa with N394bn

Victims Support Fund (VSF) says it has spent N394.69 million in supporting children who are victims of insurgency in Adamawa.

A Report by the Fund said that the support was given to children under its “Foster Care Project’’, designed for unaccompanied and separated children.

In the document made available to News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja, VSF Executive Director, Prof. Sunday Ochoche, said that 1,200 orphaned, unaccompanied and separated children had benefitted from the project in the last three years.

According to him, in 2016, a total of 300 children from Maiha and Gombi local government areas were enrolled and supported in the VSF foster care project in the state.

Ochoche added that 400 children from Mubi South (100), Mubi North (100) and Michika (200), benefitted from the scheme in the state in 2017.

“In 2018, 500 orphaned, unaccompanied and separated children were enrolled and supported in the VSF Foster Care Project in Madagali,’’ he also said.

According to him, the objective of the project is to provide alternative care for unaccompanied and separated children, using a family-based strategy.

“The key element of the project is the monthly cash support given to the families of those who were affected by insurgency which is expected to reach the entire household in that community, not only the orphans.

“VSF’s other priority areas of intervention include the Education Support Project aimed at addressing the unavailability of learning and teaching supplies, access to education and provision of learning spaces.

“Others are facilitating access to education and the provision of psycho-social support to children, building the capacity of teachers to identify risks and improve learning outcome, including provision of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

“It also includes the restoration of livelihood through the support for rain-fed and dry season farming activities and the economic empowerment of women and promoting community recovery and stability by facilitating social cohesion and peaceful co-existence.

“Others are the support for the restoration of local governance through the reconstruction of public buildings devastated by the insurgents,’’ Ochoche said.