From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
Mercy Corps and Interfaith Mediation Center, (IMC) Kaduna have donated Over 120 desks to the Government Day Secondary School, Badarawa, an Ungwan Yero community in Kaduna North Local Government Area of the Kaduna. state
Mercy Corpse under the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace, (CIPP) Quick Impact Project, (QIP), said the donation of 120 classroom furniture to the school is because it serves as the connector to the two conflicting communities.
Speaking at the event , in Kaduna, yesterday the Chief of Party, CIPP, Mercy Corps Nigeria, David Gatare, explained that from a peaceably perspective, the two communities that are conflicting sent students to the school.
According to him, whether the two communities are in agreement or not their children (students) attend the school, therefore the school is a connector, “Mercy Corps’ intervention directed at the school is to bring the communities together around the school to act as a connector.”
He further explained that the classroom furniture provided today for the school were identified as a key conflict driver in the community, because when children come to the school and fight over lack of space to sit, they go back to settle their score in the communities, and that increases conflicts in the communities.
Co-Executive Director of IMC, Reverend Mavel Wuye, said the project was done to foster peace among the two communities, noting that if the people practice, advocate and live in peace the communities would attract more of such support from within and outside the country.
According to him, the access to the two communities are the students, hence the school was chosen. “The classroom furniture would benefit everyone from the students of the school are residents of the communities,” he said.
Wuye cautioned the students against drugs and substance abuse, but to ensure they keep themselves clean. Even as he cautioned them against pre-marital sex that could lead to abortion and other vices that comes to such things.
“Behave yourselves and avoid joining bad groups. Don’t get involved in thuggery, community rivalry where young people carry knives, cudgels and other dangerous weapons against the other community,” he said.
The IMC Co-Director also noted that the more peaceful the communities remain the greater they would become, while they would also attract more of such assistance.
Principal of the school, Mallam Sadiq Sani, said the classroom furniture came at the right time when they were most needed.
Speaking through the Exam Officer, Ms Idayat Oyetunji; Sani, thanked Mercy Corps and IMC for the kind gesture, saying this would go a long way to aid the learners in their academic pursuit, noting that a good environment aid effective learning.
