Country director of Helen Keller International in Nigeria, Aliyu Mohammed, has said that over 73 million Nigerians have benefitted from the organisation’s charity work in Nigeria.
Mohammed revealed this yesterday in Abuja at the 25th-year anniversary celebration of Helen Keller International’s impact in Nigeria.
He added that the non-governmental organisation has delivered essential commodities to combat malnutrition and eliminate neglected tropical diseases.
He said, “Nigeria has 220 to 230 million people, and we are working in one-third of Nigeria, which is more than 73 million people.
“So, we are delivering essential commodities to eliminate neglected tropical diseases and reduce malnutrition among women and children in all these states. That is the biggest achievement we can say we are making.
“We have strengthened the system in which screening for malnutrition is done in the states we support. We train mothers and health workers, who are now deploying the resources and technical expertise they have gained to do more. These are some of the impacts we have realized.”
He stressed that in delivering humanitarian aid, Helen Keller ensures that its recipients are reintegrated into society to function fully.
He said that given the right support, Helen Keller would continue to uphold its commitment in the states where it currently operates while expanding to other parts of the country.
“Eliminating diseases requires continuous treatment until they are eradicated. For example, we have places where we no longer need to treat. Many millions of people are now out of treatment for neglected tropical diseases.
“And if we look at it differently, we have helped many people return to their businesses, such as those 10,000 people who have had trachoma surgery. Trachoma can cause irreversible blindness, which means when someone is blind, they are blind for life.
“We were able to operate on them, reversing their condition. Now they are back in their businesses, socio-economically doing well. This is in Katsina and Adamawa states.
“In nutrition, Vitamin A reduces child mortality. We have been delivering this commodity since 2020, and we continue to do so. This will continue as long as we have resources to invest in the states we support,” he said.
For his part, Mohammed Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno South senatorial district, commended Helen Keller International for its impact in delivering free medical and nutritional aids, among other things, to improve the lives of millions of Nigerians, particularly in the North East.
Ndume, however, urged the organisation to pay more attention to Borno South, noting that 13 years down the line, thousands who fled their homes due to insurgency have yet to return and are in dire need of humanitarian aid.
“Most of our people left forcibly with nothing and are scattered all over. Some are in Cameroon now, over 60,000 or so. Some are in Niger – over 120,000 have been displaced for over 13 years.
“I’m interested in anything that will help our people who are in dire need of any kind of support. So I must come and be part of any organisation involved in doing anything for humanity,” he said.
