Kunle Adelabu
A non-governmental organization, Save – A – Girl Initiative, has distributed facemasks to residents in Ikorodu Division of Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria, in support of the government’s efforts in curtailing the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.
At a brief programme that took place at the Adeboruwa palace in Igbogbo on Saturday, May 2, 2019, members of youth groups like National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Students’ Union bodies as well as community-based organisations, market associations, artisans and traditional institutions were given the facemasks.
The NGO became the third organization after the Ikorodu Division Youth Initiative Movement (IDYIM) and Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS) to produce facemasks in bulk for distribution to people to assist them comply with the government’s directive of mandatory use of facemasks in public.
Speaking with THE IMPACT after the distribution ceremony, Comrade Comfort Oladunni Olafare, the Chief Executive Officer, Save – A – Girl Initiative, said that the effort was in support of the government’s efforts to combat COVID-19.
“The facemask initiative is our way at Save – A – Girl to support the government of Lagos State in curtailing the spread of the Coronavirus. The Ministry of Health and the Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, have been saying that we need to wear facemasks to prevent ourselves from contacting the virus”, she said.
“Using facemask will help us prevent being touched by spit from the other person who may be positive without us knowing. The facemask will prevent such person from having direct contact with us.
Comrade Olafare also stated that the initiative was also part of the NGO’s contributions to community development.
“Save a Girl Initiative is not only providing protection for girls but the community at large. Since we cannot provide food packages as relief for the people, we feel that we should be able to support the government with production and distribution of facemasks to the people.
“That is why we have decided to share a thousand facemasks in our community”.
The youth and gender advocate also stated that her organization would not stop at the distribution of facemasks to residents alone, but would also embark on sustained sensitization campaign to educate people on the importance of using facemasks.
“We are also going to help government in the area of sensitization on the use facemask at the community level. During our presentation today, we did video coverage to captured various demonstrations which we intend to circulate on social media to educate people.
“We are also going to keep engaging and talking with people on the importance of facemasks, like we did during the programme for those that came. We have representatives of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) across councils in Ikorodu division, market associations and artisans among others and they are expected to go back home to educate others on the importance of wearing facemasks”, she stated.
“With our continuous efforts, people will see facemasks as expedient for their daily use”, she said.
Speaking on the objectives of the community based NGO, Mrs Olafare stated that the body was founded to make girls fulfilled their potentials.
“It’s all about nurturing girls for self-actualisation. We realized that many of our girls are not fulfilling their potentials. Many of them that pursued their education to the higher institution level got into marriage after their first degree, forgetting that they have duty to their society, state, country and the globe at large.
“We felt that to change that, we have to assist the up and coming ones and change their orientation and views”.
Comrade Olalekan Oba Biliamin, Coordinator, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and State Chairmanship aspirant of the council, commended the initiative of the Executive Officer of the Save – A – Girl Initiative in distributing facemasks to support the fight against coronavirus.
He also charged other youths to emulate the intervention by Comrade Olafare which he described as commendable.
“I must commend the effort of the founder of Save a Girl Initiative. On behalf of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ikorodu branch and the entire Ikorodu division,I say kudos to her.
“This is what we have been preaching aloud and clear to all the youths that beyond criticisms, we also must be able to take responsibilities in our own little ways to support the system”, Comrade Olalekan charged.
“As young people, we need to start contributing our own quota in our own little ways. What the founder of the Save – A – Girl Initiative is doing today is commendable and it is something that every young mind must emulate and see as a clarion call.
”We all know that we are fighting a deadly virus called COVID – 19 and with what we have seen so far, we are in the middle of fighting for our economic recovery and at same time, our wellness.
“The government in its own knowledge felt that it needs to ease the lockdown, though, some of us have reservations. But in order to allow people to go about their economic activities and also protect them from transmitting and contacting the virus, the government felt that there is need to wear facemasks”.
He charged other NGOs, corporate bodies and individuals to assist in providing more facemasks for the people free in other to encourage its usage.
“We need individuals, NGOs and corporate companies to support the government in making facemasks available for common people. Honestly, whatever the number of the facemasks that the government is producing cannot go round.
“It is, therefore, a welcome development that we have an NGO like Save a Girl Initiative complimenting the efforts of the government and we are here to show solidarity for the organisation and its founder”, he stated.
