HUFFPED Appreciates Community Case Managers in Surulere, Lagos Island

The Humanity Family Foundation for Peace and Development (HUFFPED) has expressed its appreciation to the Community Managers who contributed to the success of its five-year project in Surulere and Lagos Island, Lagos State.

Speaking at HUFFPED’s headquarters in Ikorodu, Lagos, Executive Director, Programmes, Mr. Henry Adenigba acknowledged the efforts of the project managers. “Without you, there can’t be us. You have made HUFFPED what it is today. Everyone in HUFFPED is very grateful,” Adenigba said.

He further added, “Thank you for the opportunity you’ve given us to serve. We cannot thank you enough. The journey of 20 years started with a step, and it is to end somewhere. You don’t change a winning team; you have made us proud, and we are grateful. Some of you have been with us for 18 years, even when we operated out of a small shop. Despite the conditions 18 years ago, you stayed with us. We will continue to be friends. Thank you.”

Executive Director, Admin & Finance at HUFFPED, Mrs. Adekemi Adeyeye, also commended the dedication of the project managers and other HUFFPED members. “I must thank all of you for the great job you did. You didn’t see it as a burden, and you were always available to contribute your quota. May God bless you and reward you specially,” she said.

Adeyeye highlighted the various interventions of the Community Managers and HUFFPED staff in Surulere and Lagos Island that ensured the successful completion of the project. “This project ran for five years, and there are proofs of its success that we can all see. Although the project officially ended in September, the impact will continue to resonate,” she noted.

Program Details and Achievements

Balogun Mosun, Program Manager for Surulere and Lagos Island, gave an overview of the project, known as Integrated Child Health and Social Service Award (ICHSSA2), which officially ended on September 30, 2024.

She explained that, “Today, October 1st, we are here to appreciate the managers who worked with us on the project, celebrate them, and present them with certificates.”

She elaborated on the scope of the project, stating, “For five years, we worked in 19 communities in Surulere and several others on Lagos Island, focusing primarily on health-related issues. We provided services to children living with HIV and their caregivers, ensuring they adhered to their medication schedules and had the necessary support, including stipends for transportation and food.”

The program also enrolled children in government schools and supported caregivers with various needs. Additionally, HUFFPED operated a savings scheme called Village Savings and Loans (VSLA), which allowed women in the community to save and take out low-interest loans to support their families.

While the official project ended in September, Balogun explained that support for beneficiaries would continue through December, with ongoing training for the community managers. “We hope to hand them over to another project when the opportunity arises,” she said.

Funding and Continued Support

When asked about the project’s funding, Balogun confirmed that HUFFPED, in collaboration with Association For Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), received support from USAID. “HUFFPED was responsible for managing the salaries and office maintenance throughout the project, which officially ended in September 2024,” she explained.

Discussing the origin of HIV transmission in some children, Balogun explained that it was mainly due to mother-to-child transmission, though some cases resulted from abuse or rape.

Additional Activities and Interventions

Boluwatife Babalola, a Program Officer at HUFFPED, shed more light on the organisation’s activities. “We enrolled out-of-school children into schools and constructed hand washing facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We also have caregiver groups who save money and sometimes share over N1 million,” she shared.

Babalola highlighted programs aimed at supporting caregivers and teaching children essential life skills, including self-defense and personal hygiene. “We also taught caregivers how to make products like liquid soap and Tom Brown (a locally made food to increase the health, growth and development of the child), to help support their families,” she said.

Babalola however highlighted the different stages of the project and gave a summary of the ICHSSA2 project.

According to her,
the objectives of ICHSSA2 project include:

1. To increase access for orphans and vulnerable children and their household to quality care, protection and support services.

2. To improve capacity of the project and care of OVC(orphans and vulnerable children)with specific focus of their right.

3. To utilize priority service targeted at OVC sub population.

She stated that, the services are in four domains which are:
1. Health: HIV Testing Services, support group meeting, OTZ meeting, nutrition, Community Based Insurance Scheme(CBHIS)

2.Stable: Condition Cash Transfer (CCT), IGA income generating activity, financial literacy training , skills acquisition linkage,food support, VSLA, food demonstration and provisions of start up equipment

3.Schooled: Enroll out of school children into school, school visit and educational services e.g block grant (hand wash and good hygiene service).

4. Safe: Educate on Gender norms, SGBV screening, referral service provisions, provision of birth certificate to OVC,no means no(self defense mechanism program) and Ebi Alayo for caregiver and their adolescents wards.

The event concluded with Project Managers sharing their success stories and receiving certificates and gifts in recognition of their efforts.