By Olukayode Idowu
South Korea is expending $20,000 on delivery of free health care services to rural community dwellers within and around Afua Community in Akwa Ibom State, through an established partnership with Joseph Ukpo Hospitals and Research Institutes (JUHRI), located within the community.
The Asian government also to further support Afua community and JUHRI, a total of 120 beneficiaries were provided with various household hygiene items per household, while 100 school bags and 400 notebooks and stationaries were distributed to 100 school children to further fill gaps in their school resumption needs.
According to a statement on Sunday by the Programme Officer, KOICA Nigeria Office, Kayode Adebisi, the donated hygiene items included sets of tooth brushes, mosquito spray repellants, body cream, tooth pastes, bathing soaps, disinfectants, detergents and laundry soaps. Additionally, 20 packs of face masks and three packs of hand sanitizers were donated to JUHRI to support COVID-19 prevention measures.
KOICA is providing funds of up to Twenty Thousand US Dollars ($20,000) for a period of 4 months (August – November 2021) to support the delivery of free health care services to rural community dwellers within and around Afua Community, through an established partnership with Joseph Ukpo Hospitals and Research Institutes (JUHRI), located within the community.
Adebisi also said the donations were parts of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities for year 2021, of the South Korea International Cooperation Association in Nigeria (SKICAN), which with close support from Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Nigeria Office, recently conducted a field trip to Afua Community of Ibiono-Ibom LGA, Akwa Ibom State, to donate COVID-19 palliatives to beneficiaries, domiciled within the community.
Adebisi explained that the South Korea International Cooperation Association in Nigeria (SKICAN) is an association established in 2012, having members from individuals who have overtime actively participated in KOICA-sponsored capacity building programs in Korea, with it’s main objective being the enhancement of the Economic and Cultural Co-operation exchanges between Nigeria and Korea and to foster the exchange of experiences, ideas, and knowledge between KOICA Alumni members.
He disclosed that the choice for this year’s CSR activities is largely aimed at complimenting ongoing KOICA interventions within the community.
Speaking at the event, the President, South Korea International Cooperation Association in Nigeria (SKICAN), Mr. Rabiu Adamu said that the CSR activity was a way to give back to communities made vulnerable due to the impact of the COVID-19.
He added that the CSR Activity will go further in solidifying the intervention supported by the Korean Government through KOICA in Afua Community.
In his brief remarks, the KOICA Country Director, Mr. Woochan Chang acknowledged the numerous needs of the community while expressing optimism that the donated items would further contribute to the improvement of the socio-economic, educational and health condition of the beneficiaries.
A representative of the beneficiaries, Emem Bassey Nkukut, while given a vote of thanks, expressed her joy for the KOICA and SKICAN’s intervention to rural community dwellers, adding that the donated items will be impactful to the lives of beneficiaries, while also urging for more support for the community.
Highlight of the event was the distribution of the donated items to members of the rural community.