About 100 vulnerable women drawn from communities in Ikot Ekpene local government council of Akwa Ibom have benefitted from a relief provided by a Dutch based NGO to cushion the effect of COVID-19 for vulnerable women Akwa Ibom.
The NGO, Akwa Ibom/Cross River States Association, Netherlands, [AKCROSS] UNION NL and Rotary Club of Hague, Netherlands, in partnership with Rotary Club of Ikot Ekpene, Ikot Ekpene Metro District 9142, GRA Province made the donation which included items like face mask, rice, beans, garri, noodles, tomato, and other edible items to beneficiaries at Ikot Ekpene yesterday.
President, AKCROSS UNION, Netherlands, Mr. John Akpanson at the event said, the Union would continue to support and empower its people in Netherlands, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States in Nigeria adding that they were touched by the suffering of the people due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic.
“We thought we should contribute our quota to support the most vulnerable people in our communities by providing relief materials to these sometimes forgotten group of people. The programme will benefit 100 indigent families in Ikot Ekpene and Abak local government councils.
“We do this, knowing that some of our people’s
livelihood has been negatively affected by the pandemic. We hoped that our support can help make it a little easier for them.” Akpanson who was represented by the President of the Rotary Club of Hague Anne Edet said.
The President appreciated their partners, particularly The Hague’s Rotary Club, Netherlands for showing so much love to people 6000km away from them and also thank the Rotary Club in Ikot Ekpene and Abak local government councils for partnering with them to ensure that the palliatives goes to the target audience which are the venerable persons in the society and the widows.
Akpanson noted that, the event was the third time the NGO was delivering such assistance to Akwa Ibom people since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and called on other well-meaning individuals and organizations to continue to support the less fortunate people in the society in the present trying time.
The representative of the Rotary Club of Ikot Ekpene, Ikot Ekpene Metro District 9142, GRA Province, Mr. Ubong Obot, appreciated AKCROSS Association in Netherland and the Rotary Club of Hague, Netherlands for the gesture and assured them of their continued partnership to ensure that they strive to make life meaningful for those set of individuals in the state.
In their separate responses, Madam Sifon Mathew and Nsinyene Lucky, thanked the donors for their show of love and for remembering them in the present trying time.
According to them, as widows, the NGO kind gesture of providing for them in this times of need and global devastation would go a long way in helping them and they prayed that, God should bless and reward them abundantly.
They called on other well to do indigenes of the state living in the country and outside the country to emulate the kind gesture of AKCROSS, as such would show a greater sense of belonging and they care for not well to do in the communities.