COVID-19 Sensitization and Distribution of Food by Beth-arbel Foundation in Bayelsa

Report on covid 19 sensitization and distribution of food items by Beth-arbel foundation supported by SI4DEV
On Friday 17the April 2020,Beth-arbel foundation in collaboration with Si4dev Yenagoa location embarked on a sensitization in Yenegoa IDP camp at Osiri Bayelsa state on preventing the spread of COVID-19 and distribution of food palliatives to support the inhabitants of the camp.

As at the time we visited the camp,there was no recorded case of COVID-19 in the state ,but there was already an interstate lockdown and partial restriction of movement within the state,as such eating a single square meal was already very difficult for the occupants of the camp as many of them are laborers and daily wage earners.

Our visit to the camp was to educate the people on the need for social distancing and constant washing of hands with soap under running water for at least 20 seconds.on arrival we discovered that social distancing would be very difficult as the camp is densely populated, thatch houses made of wood, stagnant water full of mosquitoes and a community of people living on abject poverty.

It was a pathetic situation but we tried to reach the aged and single mothers,our original plan was to reach out to 60 families with rice,garri,beans and oil each,but upon arrival we decided to split the items to reach 110 aged and single mothers who had no assess to food for days.
We emphasized on the need to stay safe by washing their hands constantly with soap under running water,because we know they cannot afford to buy alcohol based sanitizers.
We educated them on the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and told them to reach out to the nearest health center or call the NCDC numbers on the sticker given to them
After the talk we went round the camp in the company of the youth president and community chairman,we pasted stickers on how to prevent COVID-19,the signs and symptoms and the numbers to call.
As We moved round the camp we discovered the camp had a school a very small Batcher house that houses 280 pupils from nursery to junior secondary,the school is run by a volunteer among those in the camp.

We also discovered that the camp is constantly flooded by rain,beyond the COVID-19,the people are endangered ,looking at the environment there can be an outbreak of cholera,malaria and other water or air borne diseases.their wastes are not properly disposed and they defecate in unsafe places.
We hope to visit them often until we see their standard of living improve.A special thanks to SI4DEV for supporting Beth-arbel foundation with a hundred thousand naira, and the SI4DEV Yenagoa location team for supporting with their presence
As at 27th April the state recorded its first case and we believe that with the knowledge we shared with them they would stay safer.