COVID-19: Group Gives Palliatives To 400 Households In FCT

A non-governmental organisation, Sow a Smile Initiative (SASI), in partnership with the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), recently gave palliative items to no fewer than 400 households in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to cushion the effects of COVID 19.

Addressing the beneficiaries, the Executive Director of SASI, Mr. Patrick Otoro, said that the intervention tagged, “Food on Tables”, was to put smiles on the faces of low-income earners and vulnerable households regardless of tribe or religion.

Otoro said that SASI was founded in May 2020 and that the intervention was its first outreach.

According to him, the target of the group is to feed more than one million households soon.

Eko Hot Blog reports that the palliative items include rice, beans, garri, and face masks.

Read Also: NGO Floats Welfare Scheme For Journalists

The beneficiaries include security guards, cleaners, youths, and other low-income earners.

Otoro noted that a lot of people lost their jobs to COVID-19 and no longer had means of income or survival.

According to him, the major aim of the group is to ensure that families have foods to eat at this period.

“ Once people smile, we will be happy and our objectives will be achieved.

“As you may know, the federal and state governments distributed palliatives to households during this COVID-19 pandemic.

“However, I am not sure it got to everyone; hence, the decision of SASI to reach out to as many households as possible.

“The project is self-funded.

“Due to the fact that CBN has been in the field for years as an organisation that has been carrying out humanitarian interventions, we decided to partner so that we can exploit its contacts and logistics to reach out to target households in different communities,” he said.

Otoro advised families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to have faith in God for intervention.

The Regional Director of CBN Africa, Dr. Felix Oisamoje, said that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected many families.

“As a Christian organisation, we feel that families must first have food to eat before they can comfortably listen to preachings about God; hence, the involvement in humanitarian interventions,” Oisamoje said.

According to him, the group has been championing the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ for years and providing humanitarian aids to families.

“It was a thing of joy to us at CBN when SASI approached us for partnership in the provision of palliatives to families in the FCT through our humanitarian arm, Operation Blessing.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many families; we have to do our best for them. People cannot listen to the word of God comfortably if they are hungry.

“Even Jesus in the Bible fed his followers; so, we have to do our best for humanity,” he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Isaiah Tanko, who works as a security guard in Wuse Zone 5, thanked the group for the gesture.

He said it had been difficult feeding his family during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, describing the intervention as commendable.

“My God will bless SASI and CBN for remembering me.

“These rice, beans, and garri will go along way to feed my family for weeks. I am so excited and grateful to God,” he said.

Another beneficiary, Mrs. Lilian Amsain, who resides at Jahi 2, said that it was the first time a non-governmental organisation would visit the community with palliatives since the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

“I was amazed when I was called to partake in the palliatives. As you can see, people here are Muslims and Christians; so it is not restricted to any sect.

“The palliatives will go a long way in cushioning the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am glad,” she said.

Idris Tele-Olukoya