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Voices of the World
Education, Research, Culture
Boko Haram's Survivors
Project collaboration started in 2018
"Home for the needy" is a center established in Benin City/Nigeria in 1992 to care for the
needy in the society (orphans, vulnerable, children from broken homes, homeless, widows, displaced persons etc).
Due to the gruesome activities of the terrorist group Boko Haram in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria, many were displaced as widows and orphans who have suffered so
much untold hardship.
Towards the end of 2013 and beginning of 2014, the victims who were able to escape from Boko Haram started to reach out the "International Christen center" in need from help.
Over time we have been able to relocate many internally displaced persons, mostly children, to our home in Uhogua/Benin City where they are now in safety. This centre became a beacon of hope to their daily needs and education.
Here we have schools that provide nursery, primary and secondary education, even with the minimum facilities and premises.
These efforts have produced graduates, however, there is an urgent need for improvement.
Presently we are caring for more than 4,500 people at our centre (Home For The Needy).
The history of the "home for the needy" and the situation today.
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Pastor Folorunsho started the International Christian center in 1991. It was initially established as a church open to the public and in the following year he stared a new home for orphans for the surrounding places, calling it "the home for needy".
The centre is based on thirty acres of land and is situated in uhogua, Edo State Nigeria. Edo State is one of the states in the southern part of Nigeria.
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At the end of 2013, the centre opened her doors to the victims of Boko Haram that were displaced in Northeast Nigeria.
Boko Haram’s terrorist group is very active in the northeast of Nigeria. As a result of the ongoing Boko Haram’s violence, more than 20,000 people have been killed, countless women and girls abducted, and children drafted as suicide bombers into Boko Haram. Up to 2.5 million people fled their homes, 2.2 million of whom are internally displaced. Among those displaced, are about 4,500 persons that have crossed into the International Christian Centre at Edo-state, Nigeria.
Several of the victims of Boko Haram escaped by foot to several cities in Nigeria, including the nation’s capital Abuja. Many were taken by military cars to other IDPS (Internally displaced persons) centers in several locations in Nigeria. Some of the victims of Boko Haram came to the International Christian centre through the help of spirited Nigerians who offer to bring them to the International Christian Centre. Prior to this help, they have trekked several kilometers on foot without food for several days. Many sustained injuries as they navigate through the forest paths for fear of being recaptured by Boko Haram.
At the end International Christian centre, many of the victims including women and Children were subdued, sad for several days. Some ate grasses and drank urine. Many young women had no clothing to change as well as having adequate sanitary pads. They screamed at night and could not sleep. It was a world crumbling before them. Some were taken to the hospital. Although a great majority have become stable psychologically, the traumatic experiences and the everyday challenges of lack of proper food, access to water and medical needs are far from being over.
The classroom
One of the female dorms
Emmanuel, volunteer of Voices of the World, while collecting information
Girls playing games
The boys dorm
The kitchen
What is the role of Voices of the World in this project?
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As a human rights organization, we need the world to hear their voices, their stories and their request for aid.
Boko Haram victims have lost attention from mainstream media. We aim to share their personal stories and their livelihood under the challenging circumstances in which they have now found safety. For the price of safety, they have lost homes, family members and means of income. Safety for all is the third article of UN declaration of human rights, but this does not have to come with the price of "just surviving".
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We aim to give the children and Women a better future, by supporting "the home of the needy & International Christian center" with donations of food and clothes, volunteers for school education, architects to help build, to teach entrepreneurship skills, provide machines for skilled work, and collect global donations for the higher education of the children graduating from high school.
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This very moment, "the home for needy" has requested the following, please join us to help better the lives of the forgotten victims of Nigeria.
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1. Food
It is very critical at the moment, we are having challenges to feed the children.
2. Education
We need scholarship/funding for our university students, to pay their school fees etc.
We also need writing materials and books for those in primary and secondary school.
3. Health Needs / Sanitation
We need medicines of all kinds and sanitary pads for the girls.
4. Accommodation
We need tent houses or hostels with beddings to space the children as their current
wooden accommodation is overcrowded.
5. Electricity/power supply
We need a powerful generator/plant that can give light to the whole centre.
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