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Thirty Nigerian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on Monday received grants worth $172.2 million from the United States (US) government as part of an annual grant that supports worthy causes by various NGOs aimed at supporting vulnerable communities and lifting them out of physical and social conflicts.
The US annual donation called the “The Ambassador’s Small Grants Program” is particularly targeted at NGOs that work to improve access to healthcare, sanitation, literacy, as well as clean water and household economic prosperity, especially for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and the elderly.
Delivering his keynote address at the event, Stuart Symington, US ambassador to Nigeria, said that Nigeria is the most important project on the African continent and one of the most important projects in the world.
“If Nigeria succeeds, Africa will succeed, and if Africa succeeds, the whole world will succeed,” Symington concluded.
One of the grant recipients for 2016 is Emmanuel Teryila Memorial Liberty Foundation from Benue State, which won a grant of $6.64 thousand for the promotion of healthcare, food security, and household economic strengthening for orphans and vulnerable children to ensure that they are well catered for.
Speaking with BusinessDay, Vera Adi, executive director of the foundation, said she was saddened by the level of want suffered by orphans but was also highly motivated by her conviction that, if given a chance, even those without biological parents can lead greater lives and create a better world for themselves and for others around them.
Other benefitting NGOs are Halt Aids in Plateau State, which is headed by Yetunde Tagurum, ($6,820); Society for Development and Community Empowerment, Rivers State ($6,667); and Women Action for Health, Sokoto State ($4,107).
Also, Ugonwanne Self-Help Group got $3,730 funding for a rice threshing machine to serve 100 women in Nkwele community of Anambra State; and Manoach Missions and Training Centre, got $6,290 to add more classrooms for literacy classes and to equip a library for 80 adult women in Mbaav community of Gboko in Benue State.
Shagari Low-Cost Housing in Borno State received $5,680 for the provision of three boreholes for 7,000 of its residents in Maiduguri, while the Ayamba Eadgbo Health Clinic in Cross River State got $5,390 to renovate a health clinic that will benefit 1,300 members of the community.
For Neighbourhood Care-Well Foundation in Cross River State, $9,540 were won, just as Inclusive Secondary School Berea in Ebonyi State got $2,740 and Teenz Global Foundation, also in Ebonyi State, got $5,760.
In Edo State, Intensive Rescue Foundation International received $5,440; and Development Empowerment Initiative in Ekiti State got $4,52, while Funjjab Human and Social Development Initiatives won $4,78, also in Ekiti State.
Many more NGOs received grants, such as Heart of Gold Empowerment and Health Foundation, Abuja ($4,432); Redeemed AIDS Program Action Committee, Abuja ($3,333); SAM Empowerment Foundation, Abuja ($7,572); Hope Yet Welfare Foundation, Kaduna ($5,000); and Kebbi Alliance for Positive People, Kebbi State ($6,323).
In Kogi State, the Centre for Better Health and Community Development got $5,340; the Society for Life Changers and Good Parental Care, Kwara State received $4,620; Blissful Life for Youth Society of Nigeria, Lagos ($9,507); Community Empowerment for Peace and Health Initiative, Lagos ($4,633); and Heath Awareness and Gender Advocacy Initiative, Lagos ($6,203).
Also in Lagos, Kizito Care and Support Initiative received $9.99 thousand, Liberi Health Foundation ($2,839); First Step Action for Children Initiative ($7,450); just as Diocesan Health Initiative, Niger State got $6,350; The Good Samaritan International Incorporated, Ondo State ($3,810); and ECWA AIDS Ministry, Plateau State ($6,667).