By Isah Hussein
In a bid to give internally displaced children a sense of belonging and protection, Amnesty International has organized a sports workshop for them at the Inter-Faith IDP Camp in Gurku, Maraba, Nassarawa State. The event, which featured various sports and games, aimed to promote the rights and well-being of children affected by insurgency in the North East.
Amnesty International’s researcher, Morris Canice Chukwu, emphasized the organization’s commitment to protecting the rights of children, particularly those displaced by insurgency. “We believe in the rights of children, and it’s our responsibility to ensure their protection, even in the face of adversity,” he said.
Chukwu highlighted the importance of engaging with children in IDP camps, saying, “We have done this over the years, and it’s a continuous engagement because it’s part of our work to ensure everyone has their rights protected.” He emphasized that children that training children means training a whole community and, by extension, the whole country.
Chief Manasseh Byanyiko, Mai Angwar, Fei Mana Gurku IDP Camp, praised the programme, saying, “This program is a blessing to our children. It will help them forget their troubles and focus on their future. We are grateful to Amnesty International for bringing joy to our children.”
Other speakers at the event included Mr. Gideon Girbi, Headteacher of Inter-Faith IDP Camp Primary and Montessori School, who expressed gratitude to Amnesty International for the project, which he believed would have a significant impact on the children’s lives. Marcus Gamache, the initiator of the Inter-Faith IDP Camp Gurku, described the programme as the first of its kind in the camp since inception in September 2014.
The children received gifts such as vests, books, and pens, as well as refreshments at the end of the event. Amnesty International also donated sports equipment, including footballs, volleyballs, nets, jerseys, chess and scrabble sets to the camp.