LCDA Reaches Out To 50 Widows, IDPs In Buea

Local Community Development Association (LCDA) in partnership with Corona True Tori, has provided humanitarian assistance to some 50 widows and internally displaced women in Buea, South West Region in a bid to assist them in battle with the ravaging effects of COVID-19. The women were each handed a bag of rice, vegetable oil, laundry soaps, and face masks last Saturday, 02 May, 2020 at the esplanades of the headquarters of LCDA, Buea.

The President and Founder of LCDA, Mr. Njoka Walter Laye, admitted that, during one of LCDA’s outreach activities in the fight against the pandemic, it was in utter dismay that he realized the population especially widows and IDPs were not willing to apply the prescribed preventive measures, especially the call to stay at home as they have to fend for their families.

The women had stated that, the international health crisis has further compounded their daily struggles for ends meet. ‘It was thus necessary to assist these women with some basic necessities so that they can, in the best possible way, be safe during these trying times,’ the LCDA boss added.
Mr. Njoka Walter Laye concluded that with more support from well-wishers, his organization can reach out to more vulnerable persons in our communities.

According to one of the co-founders of Corona True Tori, Dr Philomena Nana- Anyangwe, this activity is part of their initiative in helping vulnerable communities to cope with this devastating pandemic. The US based medical practitioner added that providing the needs of widows and internally displaced women will encourage them to stay at home, thereby limiting their exposure to contracting and/or spreading the virus.

During the event, Mbuh Gisele Maduka, Health Care Consultant with LCDA schooled the women on the nitty-gritty of COVID-19, such as its symptoms, ways of transmission and the methods of prevention prescribed by World Health Organisation (WHO) and The Government of Cameroon; always washing their hands, constantly wearing face masks, keeping safe distances and avoid touching their faces with their hands.

At the end of the event, one of the beneficiaries, Njowe Judith, a widow residing in Great Soppo, thanked LCDA and Corona True Tori for coming to their needs at a time when they have been abandoned at the mercy of well–wishers. This beneficiary happily expressed that with these items, her family will be able to stay at home, thus keeping the virus a bay’.
To another beneficiary, Otto Ule Regina of Wonya Ewongo, after the talk on the virus, she now believes it’s a reality and she is ready to follow all the prescribed measures to combat the spread of the virus. ‘With the increase in prices of most goods in our markets, it was difficult to provide for my family. This benign support will greatly sustain my family during this challenging period, she added.

It should be noted that some of the beneficiaries could not make it to the event as they could not afford the means to displace themselves. Because LCDA and Corona True Tori understand the plight of these women, a team was thus dispatched to meet them at their various homes.

Corona True Tori, an initiative created by three US-based Cameroonian medical personnel with objectives to fight against corona by producing educative videos in the Pidgin-English language to educate local communities and LCDA, a Cameroonian based NGO, with a mission to improve the living condition of the most vulnerable, believe that with more unflinching support and commitments from all stakeholders, Cameroon and the world at large can be safe from this common invisible ‘enemy’ Corona Virus.