By Carolyn S Ronis | Executive Director, ICEHA
March was an exceptional month for ICEHA! We expanded our programs to 5 new locations where ICEHA is partnering with the survivors of Boko Haram to help over 6000 additional displaced children and their families in Abuja and Lagos.This expansion is mentoring and empowering IDP, and has been made possible because of your continued generosity.
During our initial visits, we were met with high levels of skepticism and diustrust. It was heartbreaking to learn that other organizations with large revenue streams had visited and promised to help these IDPs, but that help either didn't materialize, or was delivered with much media fanfare with no follow up. In some cases, schools were built, but no teachers, books, or supplies were delivered. Tailoring was taught, but no sewing machines supplied. Building trust is critical to sustainable progress as well as receiving reports of possible recruitment ot infiltration by Boko Haram. Since our initial visits, we have built great working relationships with the residents of these settlements and are in frequent, sometimes daily, communication.
ICEHA has noticed cases extreme violence between young children during our programs. This is not unusual for children who have been victimized by terrorist acts. We continue to work with the children and their parents to design sustainable strategies for conflict resolution. We will continue to assess levels of PTSD and get professional therapists involved in the extreme cases.
Attached to this report are photos and media coverage from our events last month. I hope you enjoy them. We are extremely grateful for your generosity and hope you feel compelled to continue your support to help stop the perpetuation of violence.
Thank you so much!
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