WCC records maiden workshop success in Umuaka.
3 min read
Thursday October 8, 2020 was a great day to remember in Umuaka town of Imo State. The eventful day marked the beginning of a new developmental era in the community. On the said day, the famous Women’s Crisis Centre WCC, a community based non-overnmental organization founded and led by a high profile Akalite Ms Lesley Chinwe Agams, a barrister and an international development expert, held its maiden Covid19 intervention and women empowerment program at the premises of Umuaka Community Hospital UCH.
The WCC which fights to end the prevalence of gender based and domestic violence as well as rape in the community secured a $50,000 grant from the George Soros led Open Society Institute for West Africa OSIWA, to carry out a Covid19 intervention program in the community and empower the women.
During the program, several items such as 6 pieces of infrared thermometers,, 6 glucometers, 6BP apparatuses,, 6 pieces of cotton wools, 6 bottles of 2 litter spirit, 10 packs of lancet, 6 packs of Duracell batteries, 20 packs of latex gloves and 15 packets of accu-answer strip were presented by the WCC to the Umuaka Community Hospital to enable the health institution work in collaboration with the NGO and halt the spread of Coronavirus in the community. There were also other PPE items donated by the WCC.
Guests who came for the occasion included selected women leaders and vocal persons from all the villages in Umuaka. The hospital management team, as well as the presidents general of Umuaka communities.
In his opening speech, Darlington Ojy Onwukwe who spoke on behalf of the WCC thanked all that came for the program despite their tight schedules. According to him, WCC is in Umuaka to make sure that the women in the community are not either misled or maltreated by anybody in the name of domestic or gender based violence. He told the women in attendance to spread the good news of WCC in the community and informed them also to report any case of domestic violence and rape in the community to the organization. Onwukwe also used the opportunity to warn the women to always respect their husbands etc and not abuse their matrimonial unions intentionally, while thinking that WCC would come and support them in times of crisis. In his final words, he informed the audience that WCC is prepared to investigate all cases relating to domestic violence, attempted rape an rape that are reported to its office before carrying out any action.
Lolo Cynthia, the director of programs of WCC in her own speech told the audience that the event was the first in the series of events that will be held in the community by the organization. She also spoke about the essay competition the WCC is organizing in order to empower the women.
While responding to the presentations made by the WCC, THE Matron of the hospital Mrs Cecilia Enwere expressed her happiness over the event and praised Ms Lesley Agams for her role in bringing the WCC in Umuaka. She assured the guests at the event that she would use her good office and ensue that the hospital would cooperate with the WCC in realizing the objectives of the program.
The women leaders who also spoke at the event also praised the effrontery of Ms Agams and went further to inform the people that they were prepared to work with both the UCH and WCC in realizing the objectives of the program.
