Group commences data collection, categorisation for vulnerable people

A non-governmental organisation, Kiara Active Support and Care has commenced collection and categorisation of vulnerable people, in order to cater for their needs.

The organisation, in collaboration with Abia State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, would determine the special needs of the people, to ensure proper planning to manage and meet their needs.

The Coordinator and founder, Mr. Endi Ezengwa said his organisation was already consulting an IT Company that has created a Mobile Application for Data Collection on how to use Android Telephone to collect data from the local government areas.

Ezengwa, who spoke at a one-day workshop on data collection of vulnerable persons in Abia State, organised by the NGO in Ibeku in Umuahia North local government area, said after the data collection, they would categorise it and write a proposal to the state governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, through the collaborating ministry to intervene towards addressing their needs.

He said the organisation is also running a monthly capacity-building programme for health and social care workers in the 17 council areas, to build their capacity for the project in accordance with the governor’s vision for improved quality of life for all Abians.

State Women Affairs and Social Development Commissioner, Lady Chinedu Brown described the organisation’s project as apt and proactive in view of the move being made by the Federal Government to intervene positively on issues of vulnerable persons.

“In Abia State, we want to have, not only the data of the vulnerable persons, but have them categorised according to their needs, and how to access them, as well as, to be in position to assess what would be involved to address their vulnerability and by so doing, this Ministry would be fulfilling the social aspect of its mandate.”

According to Brown, the NGO has the know-how, technical competence and experience on issues of vulnerability. “For example, in April this year, when three suspected mentally unstable men and a woman were repatriated from the neighboring Akwa Ibom State, it was this Ezengwa Kiara Active Support and Care that took them to Psychiatric hospital in Enugu State, where they were given medical attention at his expense for eight weeks.

“It was during this period they were in the said hospital that it was discovered that the woman among them was pregnant and she continued to be taken medical care of until she was delivered of the baby at the expense of the NGO and government of Abia State.”