State Humanitarian Plan: 70 kids benefit from the Presidential couple’s package

Relief assistance has been offered by the Presidential couple, Paul and Chantal Biya, to some 70 children of the Garden Education and Healing orphanage in Bamenda.

The children benefiting from the humanitarian assistance are victims of the atrocities of armed gangs in the North West Region.

Their ordeal

The children at this orphanage are victims of the ongoing crisis in the North West and South West regions.

They recount stories of being constantly attacked by armed men in their village.

They walked over 80km from the Wum Subdivision in the Menchum Division coming to Bamenda, capital of the North West in search of help.

They were saved by a humanitarian truck which found them and brought them to the orphanage.

Health experts who have been following them up say many were sick with malaria, diarrhea and malnourished.

The assistance package comprising mattresses, blankets, buckets, food items and toiletries, were presented to the children by the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji.

Apart from the relief materials, Minister Paul Atanga Nji also offered 1.5 million CFAF as financial assistance to the orphanage while promising more support to the institution within the framework of the humanitarian assistance plan put in place by President Paul Biya.

The Minister of Territorial Administration explained that this action taken by the government is in line with the state humanitarian plan put in place by the President of the Republic Paul Biya to assist internally displaced persons.

He added that the humanitarian assistance is also intended to help other structures that assist IDPs and the vulnerable.

Atanga Nji said since the start of the humanitarian plan, the Ministry of Territorial Administration has worked closely with the Chantal Biya Foundation to reach out to a wider group of people.

He said it was a similar collaboration for The Garden Education and Healing Orphanage in Bamenda.

The Minister said the Head of State Paul Biya gave quick instructions for aid to be disbursed to the children once he learned of their situation.

Mr Atanga Nji promised working with the Governor of the North West region, Adolf Lele L’Afrique to bring more assistance to the orphanage especially in the domains of education and healthcare.

Bruno Ndonwie Funwie