The staff of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bauchi Field Office, on Wednesday distributed food items worth N700,000 as relief materials to 300 vulnerable women in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that beneficiaries of the gesture include pregnant women, lactating mothers, the elderly, and physically-challenged.
Speaking during the distribution of the items which took place at Miri Primary Health Centre in Bauchi metropolis, the Chairperson of Association of UNICEF Staff, Mrs. Margaret Gituwa, said the outbreak of COVID-19 had brought hardship to women, especially mothers.
She explained that the number of people living in poverty had also increased.
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She said the gesture was their modest way of mitigating the hardship occasioned by the outbreak of disease.
“As you may be aware, the novel Coronavirus has imposed socio-economic hardship on families, with the poor most affected, thereby increasing the number of people who live in abject poverty.
“Mothers, especially pregnant and lactating women, are now faced with a myriad of challenges; the cost of living has gone high with an increase in prices of food commodities, including staple food.
“In response to the challenges highlighted, and to ensure action that will mitigate the risk, UNICEF Bauchi Staff Association decided to assist 300 mothers and caregivers who patronize Miri PHC, with relief materials,” she said.
The Chairperson thanked other public-spirited Nigerians who had been assisting vulnerable members of the society since the outbreak of COVID-19 and called on other well-to-do individuals and organizations to extend similar gestures to women and children.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, a woman, Mrs. Mairama Nuhu, commended the UNICEF staff for the gesture, adding that the items would go a long way in assisting them.
NAN reports that some of the food items distributed include; rice, vegetable cooking oil, salt, and food seasoning, among others.