Centre for Family Health Initiative (CFHI) in collaboration with Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFN) have been implementing the Global Action Towards HIV Epidemic Control in Subnational Units (4GATES) project across different communities in Owerri West, Owerri North, Owerri Municipal and Mbaitoli Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Imo State.
As the project is winding up, a closeout meeting was held on 16th September, 2022 at Owerri Municipal Council with all key stakeholders present.
Success stories of various interventions from all four thematic areas were shared, including interventions to support beneficiaries attain viral suppression, provision of emergency food and medical support, engagement of beneficiaries in psychosocial activities, payments of examination fees and block granting (classroom desks, renovation of classrooms, et al.), empowerment for income generating activities and vocational skills training including presentation of business start-up kits.
Following the presentation, the royal father of the day, HRH Eze Engr. Samuel O. Ugboaja (Uba 1 of Ubahaeze) expressed his deep-seated delight that his people are beneficiaries of all the notable achievements being narrated such as the vocational skills training and provision of start-up kits like sewing machine, baking equipment, hair dressing materials.
Furthermore, he referred to the success story of the little child that recovered from Marasmic Kwashiorkor after CFHI and CCFN intervened, likening the picture to what they saw during the war. He concluded by saying that “I haven’t seen such organization that takes health issues as serious as you did for that little child and for all your services and interventions, the Almighty God will bless CFHI”.
Other stakeholders like the Women Leaders, expressed delight for the achievements of the project mentioning particularly the weekly contribution by the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) which has helped a lot of vulnerable community women in their businesses.
The stakeholders promised to ensure the sustenance of the interventions, especially the VSLA groups which has contributed as a pillar to most of the small businesses managed by the community members.
In attendance were the traditional ruler of Ubahaeze Orodo in Mbaitoli LGA (HRH Eze Engr. Samuel O. Ugboaja), representatives of the Sole Administrators of the LGAs, the Directors of Admin and General Services, Directors of Social Welfare of 3 LGAs, representatives of the CPCs, selected beneficiaries (Caregivers and VCs) and a representative of CCFN.