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Germany donates N2.7b to tackle mental health in Lake Chad

By Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri
30 October 2020   |   3:07 am
Germany has donated 60 million euros (about N2.7 billion) for the mental and psychological well-being of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Lake Chad region. In a statement, yesterday in Maiduguri, its Ambassador to Cameroun, Dr. Corinna Fricke, said the Francophone nation and its neighbour, Chad, would benefit from the project tagged: “Emergency Response and Assistance…

Germany has donated 60 million euros (about N2.7 billion) for the mental and psychological well-being of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Lake Chad region.

In a statement, yesterday in Maiduguri, its Ambassador to Cameroun, Dr. Corinna Fricke, said the Francophone nation and its neighbour, Chad, would benefit from the project tagged: “Emergency Response and Assistance to
Displaced Population.”

According to her, “we are funding a 3.9 billion FCFA ((six million EUR) project to help countries in Lake Chad Basin counter effects of Boko Haram terrorism.”

She said the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) was implementing the scheme.

“The Lake Chad region project focuses on IDPs,” Fricke noted, adding that it entails the distribution of non-food items and shelter kits.

Other programmes include the collation of data on refugees’ movement and the provision of mental health and psychosocial support to them.

She picked women and children as the main target since they are most vulnerable to insurgents.

The plan, she added, would reduce the suffering of the most susceptible population.

The envoy pointed out that attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP have forced the exit of 500,000, mostly kids, in northern Cameroun.

Earlier in the year, the European nation provided 53.6 million euros (35 billion FCFA) for humanitarian activities in the same region.

“These funds are being implemented by the UNHCR, ICRC, WFP, Plan International and Caritas, and can be flexibly used depending on the needs on the ground,” she clarified.

Fricke said her home country had also made extra 6.7 million euros available for implementation of specific activities in Cameroon.

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