Danjuma reiterated, ‘Our vision is to see a Nigeria in which the dignity and wellbeing of victims of terrorism and insurgency are restored and their future assured; While our mission is to be the foremost knowledge-driven and programme-based organisation mobilising sustainable funding and building partnerships for the support and transformation of victims of terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria’.

During the presentation of educational materials, Danjuma’s representative, Prof. Sunday Ochoche, the Executive Director, Victims Support Fund, said the objectives behind the donation was to restore the livelihood and set the background for reconciliation and peace and to build the capacity of grassroots groups for community development, restore confidence in education as a tool for grassroots empowerment, address the underlying poverty in the communities as well as address the issues of orphaned and separated children.

Ochoche disclosed that thousands of children and teachers are the target of beneficiaries, adding that some of the women will be given empowerment tools in this first phase of the project which would be executed in two phases.

He pronounced that 11 women who accompanied the children to the camp situated at the International Christian Centre Mission, Uhogua, Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State will get sewing machines while volunteer teachers and worker are to be given N7,000 and N5,000 each monthly as a way of encouraging them.

‘The project will provide school children with text books, exercise books, writing materials, school bags and sandals among other things. The first phase of the project will benefit 21,291 children. This includes 10,000 in Borno, 7,000 in Adamawa, 3,000 in Yobe and 1,300 in Edo’, he emphasised.

‘In Edo we worked closely with the management of this IDP camp and so we have school materials like books (note books and text books), school bags, writing materials, uniforms, sandals and shoes for the 1,300 already identified children of school age to help them in critical areas such as psychological support. And in doing so, we felt that education must be addressed.

‘The outcome of this programme will significantly enhance the state of education in the affected states. The underdeveloped state of education in the North-east is identified as a major cause of the insurgency. By supporting educational development in the region, the project will not only assist with the rehabilitation of affected children but will also go a long way to addressing one of the root causes of insurgency,’ Onoche added.