By Laraba MUREY
In keeping with its commitment of confronting challenges faced by survivors of infanticide in the Federal Capital Territory, Actionaid.
Nigeria, AAN, has unveiled and handed over a newly built complex of about N141.7million to Vines Heritage Home, VHH.
The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi, stated that AAN began the Mobilising Actions Towards the Abolition of Infanticide, MATAI, in FCT, a project funded by the European Union, EU alongside other partners.
According to Obi, the purpose of the MATAI project is to address the scourge of infanticide in the FCT through implementation and monitoring of existing legal and policy frameworks. Hence, the organization is working in 57 FCT communities located in AMAC, Abaji, Kuje, Kwali and Gwagwalada Area Councils.
Also that since 1996 the VHH has been a haven for survivors of infanticide and is presently catering for about 158 of the children.
According to her, “Following the assessment that the current living space is not conducive for the children and their caregivers, ActionAid Nigeria, with funding from the European Union and support from a few corporates and individuals, built this new complex for the benefit of the children; to enhance hygiene, proximity to school and better nutrition.”
She paid special tribute to
ActionAid staff who contributed NGN300,000 towards the project.”
Also speaking, the Head of the EU, Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Samuela Isopi, who unveiled the complex, expressed delight over the achievement of the project so far, while pledging support in the future for maternal health and basic education for Nigeria.
In his response, founder of VHH, Pastor Olusola Stevens, who expressed gratitude over the new home for the children, said “This will change a lot of things in Nigeria because the majority of the children were those to be killed, but are now a great future of Nigeria.
“It has been reported that in the FCT, practice of infanticide is well-entrenched beliefs that twins and other multiple-birth babies, children born immediately after twins or those with albinism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, abnormal teeth growth (upper teeth first) birth defects and babies whose mothers die while nursing them are evil and must be killed. This practice is commonly carried out by the Ganagana, Bassa-Komo and Gbariyamma tribes and is shrouded in secrecy.”
