The Tearfund Country Director – Mr Paul Mershak at the “Covid 19 Response II Official Launch,” – Friday 18th September, 2020 at CRUDAN Conference Hall, No. 5 Dalyop Nyango Street, Sabon Barki, Bukuru, Jos– Plateau State gave a brief about Tearfund; a Christian International relief and development organisation passionate about ending poverty and seeing communities flourish; and is currently working in 53 countries of the world (Nigeria inclusive).
Their vision is “to see all people freed from poverty, living transformed lives and reaching their God-given potential”.
Their services are aimed at reaching all persons -especially the most vulnerable irrespective of sex, race, colour, religion, etc.
Seeing 2020 with so much excitement, the ‘world stood still’ – The first day of 2020 was as usual celebrated with so much optimism and excitement inspiring dreams for both the year and the start of a new decade. However, a viral infection literally made the ‘World stand still’ wreaking havoc on lives, livelihoods and nations. He said that one great lesson we have come to learn through it all is that humans are vulnerable and not in control of the world as we sometimes think. Mr. Mershak quoted the words of Martin Luther King Jnr describing our shared humanity- ‘We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now’. This calls us to show compassion as we follow Christ to minister in the midst of a crisis where the need is greatest at this historic time in national and global history.
Today’s event took place from the background of COVID 19 Response I (April-June 2020) which Tearfund Nigeria carried out between April and June 2020 and covered 4 LGAs (Bassa, Jos North, Jos South & Jos East), 5 communities reaching out to 1,817 House Holds and 14,088 people with awareness and COVID 19 kits Hygiene kits.
COVID 19 Response in Humanitarian and Emergency settings (May-Dec 2020) Tearfund also carried out the following interventions during the above period:
(i) Miango: Through our implementing Partner, the ECWA AIDS Ministry (TEAM) between May- June 2020, we reached out to 90 House Holds and 3,344 IDPs in Miango.
(ii) North East- Borno State: Through the support of the Dutch Relief Agency (DRA) in addition to our humanitarian and emergency response and through our implementing partner-Christian Rural and Urban Development Association (CRUDAN), we target reaching 780 HHs and 3900 Individuals in 2 LGAs and 2 communities and 2 camps in Borno state between July and December 2020.
In collaboration with Vaimo(a mass messaging Telecommunications company we hope to reach 60 ,000 people through Public Health mass messaging, using push up messages.
Tearfund now will target reaching 10,800 people in 6 communities of 3 LGAs (Jos North, Jos South & Shendam) of Plateau state with COVID 19 kits ( made up of 3 Sanitizers, 3 gels and 6 facemasks) during the current COVID 19 Response II. We plan to reach 9 million people in 7 states with COVID 19 through radio live phones-in program and other public health mass messaging.
THE COVID 19 RESPONSE II- LAUNCHED TODAY.
In conclusion, the Tearfund country director commends what the Federal and state governments are doing toward COVID 19 response and we will continue to make their contributions as they unveil Tearfund COVID 19 Response II Launch today.
He particularly commend Tearfund implementing Partners in Nigeria -COCIN Community Development Programme (CCDP), Christian Rural and Urban Development Association (CRUDAN), The ECWA AIDS Ministry (TEAM), Faith Alive Foundation (FAF), Rural Development Counsellors For Christian Churches in Africa (RURCON), and Scripture Union West Africa (SUWA ) for their Partnership with Tearfund enabling them reach vulnerable communities with essential timely services and serving lives. He also commended the Media for gracing the occasion and partnering with them to reach out to target population with the required life saving messages.
He urged everyone to kindly join them in spreading these messages to help people protect themselves, their families and our communities from COVID 19 and other infectious diseases.