impact

Project objective:

The objective of this project was to provide emergency food palliatives and social care to those affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the rural communities in Imo-state Nigeria.

 Summary Of The Project

This project titled COVID-19 emergency rapid response phase 1 – for vulnerable households in rural Imo State Nigeria supported the communities with food aid, facemasks, and hygiene materials while also delivering public enlightenment on safety measures against the current COVID-19 pandemic in selected communities.

Within the framework of emergency response services to vulnerable groups, cases of domestic violence and abuse were taken note of and reported to the responsible authorities for further action.

Achieved results:

• 1,500+ Food parcels delivered to the poor in Imo-state.
• 1000+ masks distributed to local communities in Imo-state Nigeria
• 1000+ people in Imo-State equipped with COVID-19 awareness and hygiene kits
• 300+ Basic healthcare assistance related to maternal health
• 250+ women sign posted and referred to relevant the authorities for redress against domestic violence.

Bridging cultures festival was carried out on 27^th October 2018 and attracted more than 300 participants. The event was officiated by Wethouder Bert van Aphen, Gemeente Den Haag.

The aim of the festival was to promote and strengthen active citizenship and cultural diversity. The event brought people from various cultural backgrounds, from the international community and the native Dutch Community to present and share their collective contemporary theatre production, music performance, fashion, accessories, master class and all forms of artistic creation from the local and international artists.

The central attraction of the festival was fashion performance and exhibition to promote and empower women entrepreneurs.

Project impact:

The event served as an interactive platform for communities from various countries, new and old, young and old generations, professionals, non-professionals and an array of artists from around the region. All these groups came together and shared experiences with a view to understand the diversity in each other’s culture and to build a resilient community in the Netherlands

Project MARSS (migrant and refuge women support service)took place through various activities from November 2017 to Dec 2018.The aim of project MARSS was to provide refugees and vulnerable migrant women with the tools and support they need to overcome domestic violence and become successful, active and contributing members of Dutch society.

Project impact:

• Knowledge on domestic violence and child abuse increased among women, men and children in refugee and migrant population, they are now able to report domestic violence.
• A network of trained volunteer resource persons established and equipped with knowledge on domestic violence and the Reporting Code of Conduct. They will help in dissemination of information on violence against women and children at the grassroots in their localities.
• Information, educational and communication material developed and shared with the targeted refugee and migrant community in various forums and via social media platforms. A total of 1,500 flyers on domestic violence and human rights were developed and circulated to the public in various public events.

The international women’s day project took place on 17^th March 2018 and was attended by both men and women.

The main objective of the event was to create a forum for participants to share information and raise awareness on issues concerning women’s rights and empowerment as well as strengthening networks amongst women groups and other actors, mainly the groups we are already working with in implementing our two years project titled ‘Migrant women & refugee support service’ (MARSS).

The Theme of the International Women’s Day 2018 was called “Press for Progress.”

Project impact:

• Increased understanding of gender concerns, women empowerment initiatives and the renewed spirit of participating audience to press for progress towards attaining greater gender equality at family, community and national level.
• Enhanced networking amongst women and men coalitions for women advancement.
• Action points adopted to push forward gender equality efforts in line with the theme Press for Progress and 2030 development Agenda.

The project titled ‘No more silence’ for emancipation of men, was strategic and part of ongoing campaigns aimed at stopping violence against women.This project was a three years program that started in 2015 to 2018.

The main objective of the project was to improve relations within family sphere and eliminate cultural norms that support violence against women through the emancipation of men.

Project impact:

• Increase in the number of cases reported as a result of awareness campaign and multi-media communication used to encourage the rejection of cultural and traditional norms that has detrimental effect on women.
• Strengthened sense of unity and solidarity. Sharing experiences, success stories etc turned out to be one of the best means of transmitting information, giving hope and standing together.

Increased awareness on the kind of technical support offered in the Netherlands on gender-based violence

The project was implemented between November 2015 to February 2018.

The goal of this project was to create social awareness in relation to the current discriminatory attitude towards LGBTQ people. And secondly, to contribute in the elimination of gender-based violence (GBV) through the emancipation of men.

Project impact

• Improved visibility of LGBTQ topic thereby arousing curiosity that made people talk about it, making the theme more familiar and less strange or scary to migrant community.
• Improved human right and combat discrimination and bullying of LGBTQ Youths.
• Increased awareness and commitment of men in promoting gender equality which is necessary for building sustainable families and communities.
• Willingness of the participating audience to change their mindset and do away with stereotypes that prejudice the position of women & LGBTQ in the society.
• Increased number of social justice advocates among men who are equipped with necessary tools for promoting sexual orientation and gender equality, and enhanced peer networking which is key for obtaining social support.

This project took place on December 24^th, 2016 involving the refugees, specifically Syrian refugees, migrants from Africa and Middle East and the local Dutch community. The objective of the project was to create an atmosphere of HOPE, LOVE and Senses of belonging for refugee children and their families during the Christmas time with specific outcomes.

Project impact

• Improved assimilation and integration process for refugee children into the society and country they have come to know and accept as their new home.
• Improved deep sense of belonging and better knowledge of the environment through the presentations made at this event and human interaction with the locals.
• Improved relation and understanding between the locals and the new arrivals of refugees.
• Exchange of cultural diversity among participants.
• 95 children and their parents received various supports during the Christmas season including Christmas presents form the locals and organizations
• Mothers receive information that would help them know their rights and where to go for support in Netherlands.

The training sessions on Speaking with Impact were held from 15^th December 2016 to 4^th February 2017 with a series of 3 trainings, organized by Vital Aid Foundation in partnership with Ethiopia organization stitching GOBEZ.

The main objective of the project was to contribute to the process of economic participation through communication skills in order to build confidence, ability and self-esteem of participants, to access new opportunities that will change their socio-economic position.

Project impact

• Developed practical skills of the participants in communication and readiness for job opportunity/career.
• Improved participation through self-development and self-confidence in workplace, business meetings and social environment.
• Gained knowledge on how to prepare a wining CV and business pitch.

The event was celebrated on 25^th March 2017 under the guidance of Stitching Vital Aid Foundation (VAF) in partnership with Stitching Kariboe-bibi and community women. About 110 women, children and men were in attendance. It started with an opening prayer followed by welcome remarks by the project coordinator of stitching Vital Aid Foundation Marilyn Martins.

She highlighted on the theme of the day being “Hope for the future “she further mentioned that women’s day is internationally celebrated, and it is meant to be celebrated on the 8^th of March every year. But vital aid foundation and Karibeo bibi had joined hands to celebrate it on the 25^th of March.

She acknowledged the presence of all the men who had joined in the occasion and commended them for their participation in the event. She went on to say that women are stronger because of the support given by men.

Main Objective:

The main objective of the International Women’s Day was to create an atmosphere of solidarity amongst women, empowerment through information season and networking between women.

Specific Objectives

• To promote the empowerment and position of the women in Society.
• To celebrate the achievements of women with various entertainment

activities, this included master class, fashion show and exhibition, traditional dances and poetry.

Results and impact.

• Realized awareness in the field of health, men’s emancipation, human rights and gender equality
• Realized solidarity among women
• Reaching 110 women with specific information about their rights & health issues
• Realized international cooperation links
• Networking and coalition established

Project information

The ‘Back to base’ project was specifically designed to save specific set of African migrants and the undocumented from their state of isolation and hopelessness and contributed towards their reintegration and return to their country of origin. Trafficked victims who wanted to return to their country of origin were among the targeted groups.

Incentives such as computer training and a free computer after completion of training was provided to willing returnees, including cash of €1500. VAF also advised/counselled and brought returnees in contact with relevant organisations that helped in the areas of microfinance, provision of air ticket, travel documents, helpful contacts back home to help rebuild their lives upon return.

Further without being seen to have perpetuated the illegal stay of undocumented immigrants, VAF provided advice to those who were too vulnerable to go back to their countries of origin and linked them to relevant institutions for assistance or seek legal counsel.

Project results

• Organized Five (5) awareness workshops to reach out to the grassroot migrants through their leaders, such as churches, community civil society organizations, and directly to the target group through our organisational networks and contacts.
• Increased awareness of the opportunities within the frame work of Return project
• Participants received training on ICT, need assessment and opportunities available in their countries of origin for their rehabilitation.
• The project was able to facilitate return of thirty (30) undocumented African migrants back to their home countries.
• Facilitated family re-union for those who were unable to reconnect with their families.

Short description of the project:

Woman thou art loosed was a project aimed at providing support to victims of sexual exploitation and domestic violence. The target group consisted of women mainly from Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of the project was to set up a helpline and a walk-in center for those African women who had become victims of sexual exploitation.

Priority target group:

African teenage mothers, women and girls living in the Netherlands who were at risk of or had already fallen victim to sexual violence/human trafficking.

Secondary Target Group:

Employees of Dutch institutions and organizations, working in prevention and assistance to African women / girls.

Project results

• Open centre and help line for victims of sexual exploitation/trafficking was setup successfully.
• Provided relevant information and guidance on seeking justice,
• Provided counselling and emotional support to victims, facilitated basic Dutch lessons, computer skills and referral services to organisations able to assist victims in their integration.
• Provision of monitoring and support to victims in extreme situations of vulnerability. For instance, those facing health crises and reproductive health challenge such as unexpected pregnancies, addiction to drugs. They were given the privilege to contact VAF staff anytime and anywhere for extra assistance.
• Recommendation from the field to policy makers which resulted in the attainment of partially favourable policy conditions for African migrant women, specifically victims of trafficking.
• Increase in the number of cases reported

The African leaders conference for action against trafficking:

For project woman thou art loosed.

Guest of honor and participants: Left to right: Mrs. Conny van Schaaijk, Senior policy adviser City of The Hague; Mrs. Marilyn Marthins, Director Vital Aid Foundation; Wim Pijle, Chairman Dutch political party Christian Union and Prof Torai , Director European University The Hague.

Short description of the project:

Food distribution programme in Den Haag emerged as a result of the economic hardship and social problems encountered by many migrants and the host country as well. The recipients were mostly women who were in debt or failed asylum seekers without valid documents, victims of trafficking and the homeless who received social welfare (unemployment benefit). It was therefore a support program aimed at alleviating the sufferings of low-income individuals and disadvantaged groups of people in the Dutch society.

Project impact:

The ALIVE project was a life saver and at the heart of humanity, It was people’s best choice initiative.

The Alive project won a national award as the best project of the year as a result,

Vital aid foundation received €16.00,00 and a Bus to convey food boxes to recipients.

Project aim and objective:

The Vital Aid Foundation organized Dutch language course for migrants from various nationalities in The Hague with the aim of promoting quick assimilation and integration into the Dutch social system and culture. As a result, their independence and self-awareness were strengthened.

Background information:

Ehime Mbano Imo-state suffer from water scarcity. The community make use of pond water, stream water, rain water and occasionally big trailers with water tank bring water from the big city to the rural community of Mbano for sale to those who can afford it, leaving the rest of the community with no option than to draw water from the dirty pond water available in the community. The topography of the area is undulating (with many highlands and valleys). This makes water formation irregular, as a result many water boreholes projects in the area often fail. For this reason, the community requested for help to end their suffering and water borne diseases by providing them with a clean water borehole that will serve the community of about 1400 households

Project objective:

To contribute to the achievement of water and sanitation related development initiative targeted at children in the rural community of Mbano in Imo-state of Nigeria.

Specific objective: 

1. To reduce infant mortality, unnecessary deaths from water borne diseases and wasted money and school-hours spent in search of cheap water.
2. To improve on the productivity of children and care givers.
3. To reduce the amount of money spent on buying clean water from water vendors. Money so saved can be invested in children’s education and family welfare.

 Expected results

1. Reduction of water borne diseases and infant mortality.
2. One borehole constructed and commissioned
3. More households able to save money and send their children to school

The goal of this project was to provide 2 clean water bore holes, sanitation and hygiene education to the rural community of Owerri in Imo-state Nigeria.

 Specifics:

1. To reduce infant mortality, unnecessary death from water borne disease

and wasted man‐hours and school hours spent in search of cheap water.

2. To improve on the productivity and socio‐economic situation of women

and care givers by reducing the time they spend in search of clean water

3. To reduce the amount of money spent on buying clean water from water

Vendors, by making use of this boreholes, money can be invested in

children’s education and welfare of the family

Project results

1. Increased levels of awareness on hygiene and sanitation which could be measured by the reduction of water borne diseases.
2. Two boreholes constructed and commissioned
3. More than 2000 people accessing safe and clean water from the boreholes.
4. Walking distance per day looking for clean water minimized
5. Water maintenance and monitoring Committees were formed for the 2 communities for sustainability of boreholes.
6. 500 community members from all 2 local government trained on good hygiene and sanitation
7. More households able to save money and send their children to school

Outcomes

• Participation of women in leadership positions, conflict resolution and advocacy engagements
• Improved community ownership of programmes and generation of new initiatives with full stakeholder and women participation.
• Strong support base women network and implementation team to carry out projects effectively
• increase in women understanding their rights and using international legal instrument such as the UN-1325 for conflict resolution and development to advocate and lobby for better life of their children and communities
• Transfer of knowledge through global partnership, capacity building trainings and community networks of women established within this project to scale up good practice on development issues
• Over 1500 rural women who do not normally go to formal medical centers, treated with various gynecological ailments with the mobile medical clinic that provides health service, traveling from village to village.
• Women equipped with the tools to be entrepreneurs or access gainful employment

Background of Project

The project was designed to carry out a series of 5 trainings spread out in a space of one year. The trainings were organized by our sister organization, Vital Aid and Women Empowerment Foundation (VAWEF) to advocate for support and mobilize resources for safe motherhood, including the prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula and provision of emergency obstetric care.

There were 150 participants mostly women and experts specifically selected for both their experience and knowledge in the field and their potential to disseminate programme information to the unreached populations that VAWEF was unable to reach during the intervention.

Background of Project

Vitro Vaginal Fistula (VVF) Or Retro vaginal Fistula (RVF) occurs when extended pressure damages the soft tissue in a woman’s pelvis during the process of giving birth. The tissue eventually dies from lack of blood supply, and a hole develops between the rectum and vagina or between the bladder and vagina, causing a woman to lose control of the flow of urine and sometimes faeces.

The major cause of VVF in Nigeria is prolonged obstructed labor due to contracted pelvis. Teenage primigravidae are most at risk to acquiring obstetric fistulae. In the early teenage life, the pelvis is often too small for the baby, because growth is not completed when they become pregnant nor has it grown sufficiently by the time of labor. It has been estimated that poor childhood nutrition, frequent infections, and an early start to childbearing, often before growth is completed results in nearly 90% of the VVF

Project impact

• Facilitation of surgical repair for 32 women
• Offered participants appropriate pre-operative and post-surgery nursing care in a residential accommodation where activities were coordinated and managed to educate and train women on various life skills, like building self-confidence, physical, psychological and mental health care was offered for 3 months and later women were subsequently discharged for reintegration into their communities with 6-months of follow-up and monitoring.
• Increased information dissemination and awareness campaign on the human rights of women on VVF.
• Train the trainers to fill such positions as native counselors or mediators.
• After the surgery the target group were restored with their dignity and self-worth, they can live again and have normal functionality within their communities, perhaps a different community where they need a fresh start in life but this option was very slim because most of the victims are bound by religion, illiteracy and cultural mindset that might impair their socio-economic growth. Most victims stay within the communities that shunned them and try to re-integrate the best way they could.

Background information:

Domestic violence or Sexual and Gender based violence (SGBV) in Nigeria has remained pervasive and continues to be one of the major hindrances to women’s empowerment in Nigeria.

In our view, domestic violence in this region has persisted because of the following reasons.

• The absence of a significant increase in the cases of prosecution or securing of convictions for offenders.
• Domestic violence still highly socially acceptable.
• High levels of poverty amongst women, and dependency on men for financial support, this creates vulnerability that makes women to be less confidence in leaving their situation of abuse or even seek legal redress.
• Lack of skills or opportunities to gain skills necessary in enhancing the prospects of economic and financial freedom.
• No immediate help desks in the rural areas where they could turn to in seeking alternatives, or pursuit of legal redress
• Cultural mind set and stigmatization of leaving spouse

Project objective:

The main objective was to improve on the socio-economic situation of Women through income generating activities. So that women can be less vulnerable seeking redress for their human rights.

The project was implemented in Imo-state of Nigeria within three local Governments areas.

Project impact:

• 150 participants acquired the knowledge of baking bread, wedding cakes and other confectionaries, catering service, hall decoration for a party, making of cocktail drinks and wine.
• Received training that could help them become self employed.
• Received training and recommendation to micro financing institutions to access loan for their business.

Received training in home management that could help them become better home makers

Background information:

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is the government agency empowered by the Nigerian Government to combat drug trafficking within the country and to prosecute offenders among other statutory duties. Research has shown that more than 60% of the men who abuse their wives do so under the influence of drugs or due to its unavailability when they need it. Therefore, VAF in partnership with NDLEA who already are pro-active in the country lunched an aggressive regional campaign to stop violence against women. Participant took to street rallies, house to house, villages in rural areas and advocacy visit to the house of assembly Imo-state to bring awareness and improve on policies that will effect change and protect the human rights of women.

Project Impact

• Through street rallies gained a wider community support and an expanded audience that would give domestic violence knowledge a fast multiplier effect.
• Introduced to Imo-State Nigeria workable tools for analyzing, sharing and distributing information and knowledge relating to domestic violence and its dangers.
• Established a formidable network/forum of domestic violence fighters across the communities.
• Improved government policy to hold perpetrators accountable and increased budget in providing facilities and emergency help desk for community women to access counselling and redress on domestic violence and abuse.

 Key project objectives:

To create awareness on the dangers of female genital mutilation and to shade light on all cultural and by laws that hinders peace and security of women.

Educate women on international human right treaties and conventions available and applicable under domestic violence which Nigeria is signatory to.

To sensitize women on the need to stand up for their rights when abused.

To raise comprehensive and co-ordinate community-based services for battered women and their children.

To continue research on issues that advances the current understanding of the prevalence of domestic violence and lasting intervention programs for victims.

Project Impact

• Better handling of cases and victims of FGM by the relevant agencies
• Greater public support against FGM and greater global support for a holistic intervention in addressing FGM
• Effective legal and institutional services available for victims of FGM
• Established a formidable network of female genital mutilation fighters (whistle blowers) across the communities.
• Improved government policy to prosecute perpetrators of FGM
• Established 3 help centers for three local communities for women redress.
• Research on the prevalence of FGM in the region with recommendation to policy makers

Project objective:

General:  To build the capacities of women to effectively communicate and participate in decision making processes especially those related to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5) in Nigeria. This would be achieved through media advocacy.

 Specific activities

1. To build women’s skills in information building and packaging
2. To train women in public speaking, confidence building and advocacy engagement
3. To sensitize women on the use of various media such as print, broadcast, art, events
4. To enhance women’s capacities in information assimilation and disseminate through the provision of news monthly

5. To train women on the various means and use of communication like basic use of Computer and internet.

Project impact:

1. 1. Increased participation of women in public policy and development dialogue
2. Increased access and critical analysis of information on issues related to development
3. Increased confidence and willingness amongst women to share and disseminate information on issues affecting their lives

4. Increased and effective use of various media by women using ICT and internet
5. Increased mass awareness, documentation and dissemination of information on regional developmentconcerns, the dangers and negative impact of environmental pollution, climate change and poverty  through media advocacy

6. Increased media influence specific to gender rights, knowledge in the use of media advocacy, equalityand human rights issues affecting women.