By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi
The Benue State Government, through the Bureau for International Cooperation and Development (BICD), in partnership with Christian Aid, has held a two-day residential learning and reflection meeting in Lafia to review the implementation of Start Fund 963, designed to address humanitarian challenges in the state.
According to a statement by the Bureau’s Information Officer, Juliet Okenyi, the Start Fund intervention was launched in response to violent attacks on Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area, to provide lifesaving assistance to displaced households in Guma and Makurdi LGAs.
Christian Aid, working with the Ohonyeta Caregivers Foundation, reached more than 10,500 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across three camps. The support included unconditional cash transfers to 1,620 households, non-food items for 1,500 households, hygiene sensitization for 9,100 IDPs, dignity kits for 700 women and girls, and psychosocial support for 500 individuals.
Speaking at the event, the Director General of BICD, Dr. Aondoaseer Viashima, praised Christian Aid’s transparent and inclusive approach. “This project has shown that when government, partners, and communities work together, humanitarian aid can be delivered with both speed and accountability. This is the model we must build upon,” he said.
Also, Christian Aid’s Head of Programs, Victor Orokoye, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to accountability and local partnerships. “From the start, our goal was not only to deliver emergency relief but to do so in a way that strengthens local systems, respects community voices, and supports government leadership in humanitarian coordination,” he noted.
In her remarks, the Secretary to the Benue State Government, Deaconess Serumun Aber, stressed that humanitarian action in the state must remain government-led, partner-supported, and community-driven.
