http://www.newsportng.com.ng Eko Smile Support and Empowerment Initiative, (ESSEI) a non profit organization, has called on well meaning individuals to come to the aid of internally displaced persons in Kaduna state.
The Founder, Eko Smile Empowerment Initiative, Blessing Eko Sunday, made the call during the coffee chat program, organized by Hope Builders Foundation for Entrepreneurial Education in Kaduna on Thursday, said the government has been doing a lot but the needs of the IDPs are enormous.
According to Blessing, some of the displaced children are out of school due to lack of finance, while those currently in school are lagging behind in the area of books, school uniform among others.
She further stressed that the dream of the NGO is to see that even if all the children are not able to go to school, they should be able to learn one skill or the other for the sake of their future.
Eko said, “We are currently running a project call project smile support, because that is how we can support the IDPs.
“We have done a lot of programs, interventions in different orphanages, we have helped widows and youths but the current project that we are actually soliciting for support is what we call project smile support for the IDPs.
“Most of these people we know have been displaced from their communities they have nothing doing. They are just living at the mercy of of the society so we want to see how we can create job opportunities for them by training them on different vocational skills, support them with foods, clothes and even to give them education because some of these children are not even going to school.
“So we are looking for ways they can go back to school so that they can stand on their feet.
“We are begging other organizations to come and assist us. Even those of these children going to school, some of them do not even have school uniforms and books, so have to put up our best to see ways we can help them.
“The government has actually rendered some support to them but you know the government cannot do it alone so we are calling on others to come and support.” She said.
