Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
There are times that tragedies are not avoidable. At such times, the only consolation is for victims of such tragedies to have a shoulder they can lean on for support and comfort.
In parts of Southern Kaduna in Kaduna State, a group, Healing Hands Health Society, has been bringing hope to the hopeless and giving many a reason to live again.
On March 16 this year, some herdsmen set 30 homes ablaze in Nandu Village, Sanga Local Government Area of Southern Kaduna, killing ten persons, including children. Mr Edward Arewa was away at work on that fateful night that his village, Nandu was attacked.
His wife, Tina, who was at home when the attackers came calling, had asked the children to flee. She took a bullet to her chest. She played dead with her surviving son, Francis but she lost five-month-old Gloria, five-year-old Happiness and nine-year-old Sunday.
By the time the dust settled on the dastardly invasion, Tina and her surviving son had sustained serious injuries and had lost her home. She went into shock and was inconsolable until Healing Hands Health Society solicited funds for their hospital bills and made a commitment towards their rehabilitation.
Another victim, identified simply as Baba, was devastated as his house was razed. But he was resilient. He and his surviving family members resorted to sleeping in the open since March until his home was rebuilt by the #rebuildingkaduna campaign.
For the past six months, Pastor Adamu of the ECWA Church, Nandu, has been without shelter. His home was completely destroyed. He too is expecting a brand new house over his head soon.
Titi Danjuma, a blind woman whose husband was burnt in their house during the crisis in Nandu, is full of hope, as her home is currently under reconstruction.
Dr. Uvoh Onoriobe of Healing Hands Health Society had, on seeing the pictures of the Nandu devastation, vowed: “Nandu will rise from the ashes and be strong.”
He told Daily Sun: “I got disturbing images from Nandu Village in Kaduna State. They showed the havoc perpetrated by angry herdsmen. On hearing of this wanton destruction of lives and property, Healing Hands Health Society swung into action. Since then, we have been working to rebuild 30 homes destroyed in that village.”
Onoriobe, who trained as a dentist at the University of Benin and is currently practising in the United States, added: “I saw pictures of Nandu people sleeping outside and I was moved. I got the report of Tina Arewa and I went to look for her and found her nursing a bullet wound. I asked for the photos of the kids. I cried when they said everything went up in flames after the attackers set the house on fire with one of the children in it.
“Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
“We want to ensure that those whose homes were destroyed have a roof over their heads. It won’t erase the horror, but they have a chance to start rebuilding their lives again.
“Healing Hands Health Society is a faith-based organisation with the commission of spreading Christ’s love through medical care to all people around the world. Our vision is to reduce health disparities and improve the health-related quality of life of vulnerable populations around the world. We are currently working to rebuild homes destroyed in Southern Kaduna.”
Dr.Uvoh founded the organisation in 2008 as a voluntary, non-profit, non-governmental, faith-based organisation involved in providing free health care, health education and disaster relief in various parts of the world and countries such as: Ghana, Zambia, Brazil, Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Ethiopia, Swaziland, South Africa, Haiti, Cambodia, Trinidad and Tobago have all benefited.
Dr. Uvoh and his team also travel the world, providing free dental care to people in need through the organisation.
He urged Nigerians to always show compassion for the needy in whatever way they could.
“I am not a family to any of those affected. I don’t live in Nigeria’ I have no affiliation to Nandu, and consequently shouldn’t have any reason outside compassion and humanity to do what we do.
But together with my friends in Nigeria and across the globe, we are rebuilding 30 houses. Each house is estimated to cost N750, 000.
“The pertinent question is, what part will you play to achieve this goal? All we ask is, reach out and make Southern Kaduna a better place.”