FHI 360 kicked off the Integrated Humanitarian Assistance to Northeast Nigeria (IHANN IV) project funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) on Wednesday, 23rd and Thursday, 24th March 2022, which is a continuation of IHANN I, II, and III. The project, which is in its fourth phase will contribute to reducing mortality and morbidity among conflict affected and displaced Nigerians in Borno state.
The two-day event commenced with an opening remark by the Acting Country Director, Dr. Hadiza Khamofu. She highlighted the achievements of IHANN III and the commitment of the staff and entire team in Borno State, which she referenced not to have gone unoticed.
The project kick-off is graced by various stakeholders, having the presence of UNICEF’s Nutrition Sector Coordinator, Kibrom Tesfaselassie, the WASH sector lead, John Paul Mugo, the NMP’s research manager, Babagana Abatcha, the Borno State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSPHCDA), representative of the executive director, Dr. Sam Yenyi, WHO/Health Cluster Coordinator, and Abdullahi Alh Madi, the State Nutrition Officer of the BSPHCDA, amongst others. These stakeholders took turns showering encomiums and goodwill messages on FHI 360 and the accomplishments of the IHANN project.
Paul Mugo, the WASH sector lead, iterated IHANN’s contribution and impact on the entire WASH sector. He said, “The Sector is adopting FHI 360 WASH innovation, especially latrine management. We are also particularly interested in how FHI 360 has incorporated Complaints and Feedback Mechanism (CFM) into its services like WASH.”
The representative of the BSPHCDA could not hold back his happiness as he lauded the organization’s effort in consistently delivering lifesaving interventions to the most vulnerable populations in Borno state and setting the pace for a mutual and beneficial partnership between the government and the organization.
The Response Coordinator, Elvis Ogweno, in his presentation, highlighted the need to strengthen local collaboration to ensure ownership and sustainability of the IHANN IV project beyond its lifespan.
Representatives of the Health, WASH, Nutrition, and Protection sectors emphasized on lessons and opportunities from IHANN III and key areas of IHANN IV interventions and strategy.
Other notable moments at the event include presentations from the Security, IT, Finance, Procurement, and Enterprise Services units. The Associate Director, Enterprise Services, was also in attendance to respond to ESITA-related issues.
Despite the evolving security situation and challenges within the Northeast region, the staff and team reaffirmed their commitment to meeting the goal and objectives of IHANN IV.
