North to receive €4.8m German govt disability fund

CEO of CBM, Dr. Rainer Brockhaus, HAT announced the launch of the project alongside representatives from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.

The CEO emphasised the importance of partnerships in achieving sustainable improvements in disability management.

“Building resilience and achieving sustainable change requires strong partnerships and a shared commitment,” he stated.

Brockhaus also expressed gratitude to the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development for its support, noting that “the €4.8 million TDA grant is the largest BMZ co-financing CBM has received in Nigeria to date.”

Head of Development, Partnership, and Programme Unit at the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Nike Akinbola, commended CBM for its consistent efforts in promoting disability inclusion in humanitarian interventions.

“I sincerely want to commend this project launch. CBM has long practiced disability inclusion, and this project is another significant achievement for them,” she said.

Akinbola also noted that the project launch is timely, given the rising number of disability cases in Northwest Nigeria due to insurgency.

“Disability cases have increased in the Northwest, and the area of intervention has been limited. For me, I’m quite excited about it. This is another way persons with disabilities will benefit immensely,” she said.

The Humanitarian Programme Coordinator for CBM Nigeria, Ishaku Karagama explained that the project aims to enhance the resilience of conflict-affected host communities in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Katsina States, with a focus on the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

He added that the project is co-financed by BMZ’s Transnational Development Assistance.

Country Director of CBM Nigeria, Samuel Omoi emphasised that inclusion is at the core of their work.

“Whenever there’s a crisis—whether man-made or due to natural disasters—those who are most affected are persons with disabilities,” he stated.

Omoi further highlighted the severity of the humanitarian situation in Nigeria stating, “Over 2.9 million people are internally displaced, more than 13 million people are facing acute hunger, and 2.4 million people are classified as having acute humanitarian needs.”

The project, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the National Emergency Management Agency, officially commenced on November 1, 2024, and is expected to run until December 31, 2028.

https://punchng.com/north-to-receive-e4-8m-german-govt-disability-fund/