Mrs Offiong (not real name), a physically challenged mother of two who hails from Ibiaku Uruan LGA, Akwa Ibom State had a new lease of life with the handing over of a newly constructed 2 bedroom flat to her on the 19th of December, 2018. She was enrolled into ARFH-LOPIN Region 1 project by Children and Youth Emancipation Network (CYEN) CBO, one of the local implementing partners of ARFH-LOPIN Region 1 project. ARFH-LOPIN Region 1 works with Community Based Organizations (CBOs) who recruit and train Community Volunteers (CVs) to enroll orphans and vulnerable children and their caregivers into the project.
Before the intervention, Mrs, Offiong and her two children lived in a dilapidated building under open roof. This made life more difficult and unsafe for her and the children. The Executive Director Children and Youth Emancipation Network (CYEN) Mr. Emma Edet in collaboration with ARFH-LOPIN Region 1, Community Leaders and other well-meaning individuals concerned about her situation raised and mobilized resources to put a decent shelter for Mrs. Offiong and her two children at Ibiaku, Uruan LGA. This was done outside of Project Fund. The community leaders were involved in the process as they provided the parcel of land for the building and staff of ARFH-LOPIN Region 1, CBOs mobilized private resources for the project.
Prior to this, Mrs Offiong had benefited from the LOPIN 1 Business start-up materials as well as linkage to Village and Savings Loan Association (VSLA), a veritable platform for building economic resilience, through increased access to funds for caregivers.
In her words “I want to thank USAID, ARFH-LOPIN Region 1, CBOs and my community leaders for assisting me and my children, for changing our lives for good. God will bless everyone”
For Mrs. Offiong, it is the beginning of a new era, a moment of joy. Her dream of owning a home and making sure her children are safe just like other kids is a reality. Despite her vulnerability, she has a place to call home while her children have a safe place to return to after school.
