Korea supports organisation with $500,000 to boost fistula repairs in Borno

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) says it has received 500,000-dollar-grant from Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to scale-up support for fistula repairs and emergency obstetrics care in Borno.

The fund’s Media Adviser in Nigeria, Hajiya Kori Habib, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to her, KOICA has released the grant and further requested UNFPA Nigeria to submit a multi-year proposal of five million dollars to scale-up humanitarian work in Borno.

Habib said UNFPA Country Representative, Mrs Beatrice Mutali and KOICA experts’ mission were in Borno to better understand the context and assess the feasibility of UNFPA’s proposal, noting Mr Kyu-Duk Noh, Korea’s Ambassador to Nigeria led the Korean agency team.

The media adviser added that Kyu-Duk wanted to have first-hand assessment of UNFPA’s humanitarian response programme in Maiduguri.

She stated that the delegations visited the Muna Garage displaced persons’ camp and met with Borno government officials and key humanitarian stakeholders in the state.

She added that the visit was designed to seek for more and sustainable support to speed-up reconstruction and rehabilitation, as well as resettlement of displaced persons in Borno.

She added that the delegation also met with Gov. Kashim Shettima, where the governor commended the Korean Republic for its support to the state.

Habib quoted Shettima as requesting that the fund be invested in providing infrastructure, schools, health facilities and shelter for internally displaced persons and the host communities.

She noted that the governor also urged for quick intervention to meet life-saving needs of affected communities, early recovery and resilience in building infrastructure and livelihood support programmes.

The UNFPA media adviser stated that the Korean ambassador had pledged his government’s resolve to partner with UNFPA to work in Borno.

The ambassador, however, said even though KOICA had been working in Nigeria, it was an opportunity for the government to choose to be in at least three selected local government areas of Borno.

He added that being in three local government areas would ensure that KOICA’s assistance positively affected the lives of the people.

Habib quoted Kyu-Duk as saying “we in the Republic of Korea know and understand what the people of Borno are going through.

“There was a time when my country was depending on donors’ funding and as the saying goes, a friend in need is a friend indeed.’’