Health

THE Amofia-Affa Community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State has lauded South Sahara Social Development Organisation (SSDO), an NGO, for its advocacy against violence perpetrated against women and girls.

The community gave the commendation on Thursday during the 2022 16 days of activism to end violence against women and girls in Amofia community in Udi Local Government Area.

The NGO was also commended for setting up the Sister Guardian Initiative, a community-based response, provided by women trained by SSDO for women facing violence through providing companionship, safe space, mediation with the husbands, extended families and village authorities.

The Amofia Community Women leader, Mrs Geraldine Okeh, said that the NGO brought peace amongst them and their husbands.

She said that the training they received from the sister guardian initiative in SSDO had gone a long way in making them to live by example for others to follow as regards living peacefully with their husbands and everyone in the community.

“Once we receive information about violence in any area in the community, we go there to settle the matter in collaboration with our community leaders,” she said.

The Chairman, Amofia Development Union, Mr Roderick Ameachi, commended SSDO for their support and advocacy project in the community.

Ameachi said that the responsibility of the Amofia community was to see that there was peace in every family.

He urged women to avoid segregation for peace to reign in families and communities at large.

The Secretary of Amofia Progressive Union, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Udeh, lauded the SSDO over the event and for setting up the sister guardian initiative in his community.

Earlier, the Coordinator of the Initiative of SSDO, Enugu, Mrs Blessing Uchendu, called on men to always appreciate their wives for peace to reign in their families and the community at large.

Uchendu urged parents to teach their children morals and how to respect opposite sex to avoid gender violence.

Mrs Stella Ani, Micro Credit Officer of the Initiative, said that most often, violence against women were as a result of financial difficulties in the family.

Ani explained that the SSDO ha different platforms used to support women in all the communities they had visited.

She encouraged the women to join the initiative to grow economically and help their families financially.

Mr Emmanuel Pakachi, the Divisional Crime Officer of Akpakume Police Division, said that any project organised to tackle crime in a community was a welcome development.

Pakachi urged the executives of the initiative not to compromise in dealing with violence such as defilement and rape.

He pointed out both crimes needed urgent information as police needed evidence for the prosecution of  accused in court. (NAN)

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Tags: Emmanuel Pakachi Geraldine Okeh Ifeanyichukwu Udeh Roderick Ameachi Stella Ani