Internally Displaced People
Since 2013, the middle belt state in Nigeria, Benue State, has witnessed incessant attacks from armed Fulani bandits. Still ongoing to date, and affecting several communities in twenty of the twenty-three municipalities in the state, these invasions have resulted in the massacre of thousands of people and the destruction of communities.
According to an August 2021 report from Channels TV in Nigeria, there are currently over 1.5 million internally displaced persons, and still counting, living across several IDP camps within the state. An estimated 65% of the IDPs are children many of whom have either been out of school for at least four years or attained school age but were never enrolled within the last four to eight years
How We Are Helping
Restore Mission feels strongly commissioned to meet these people where they are, and our approach is that of a total transformation. We love to see the trajectory changed for these families so that they can become empowered to effect positive change in their world. With a particular focus on children, we believe that a fundamental tool for transformation is education, both intellectually and morally.
Restore Mission is working to restore hope to these families by providing education to these vulnerable children and economic empowerment training to the adults. We are also working to relieve poverty in the immediate through our school lunch program for the kids and general humanitarian supplies while extending the message of salvation.
At the core of our work is the gospel of Christ. We strongly believe that it is only through the power of the gospel that true transformation can be achieved. More importantly, the scripture says, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36 NKJV)
How You Can Help
With our pilot project currently going on in one of the five IDP camps (Dauda) in Benue State, we have over 800 children enrolled in the free education and school lunch project. Following are what we need and how you can help
Education – Education is a fundamental human right. Help educate thousands of internally displaced children living in extreme poverty across several IDP camps. A gift of $25 a month will educate 12 children for one year
Classroom Shelters and Furniture – Will you join us to provide an enabling learning environment for over eight hundred children currently enrolled in our school program but learning under trees and in other open spaces, sitting on the floor? A 6-classroom temporary learning shelter is estimated to cost about $10,000. For a population of 800 children and still counting, we need at least two of these. An additional one-time gift of $30 will make a set of chairs and a desk for 3 children
School Lunch – Give a meal a day to a hungry child. No effective learning can be achieved on an empty stomach. A gift of $35 a month will provide 4 children a lunch for every school day for one month
A Smile at Christmas – With a one-time gift of $45, you can put a smile on a family’s face this Christmas when you enable us to provide a food hamper to them this season.
Skill Acquisition – Your gift can help to economically empower a family by training the adults in economically viable trades
GCF & FGC #F1157
Program Countries: Nigeria
Focuses: Education, Food & Agriculture
Website: https://www.restoremission.ca
Team Lead: Ola Akindele – President
Team Members: Kathryn Podgurny – Board Chair Oladapo Oloyede – Board Director – Fundraising Olaniyi Taiwo – Board Director – Branding and Marketing Joel Rimamunra – Local Program Coordinator
Email: info@restoremission.ca
Call our donations department toll free 1-855-573-8483 or local 1-719-428-3965
Office hours are 9am – 5pm (MST) Monday to Friday. (Office is closed on stat holidays)
Email donations@friendsgc.com – Please do not send credit card numbers via email.
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Since 2014, Friends of the Great Commission has enabled ministry partners to thrive by providing charity admin expertise and guidance while promoting collaboration in fulfilling the Great Commission.