Group hails JDPC Onitsha’s flood intervention in Anambra community

By Praise Chinecherem

The Instructional Capacity Strengthening Coordinator, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Anselm Nwoke, has extolled the humanitarian intervention of the Justice Development and Peace Caritas (JDPC) Onitsha in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

JDPC Onitsha is currently executing a Flood Risk Reduction and Management in Nigeria project in Ogbaru, managed by CRS with funding from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP), with initiatives running from August 2024 to November 2025, in 12 flood-affected communities.

The project seeks to lessen the devastating impact of recurrent floods by enhancing disaster preparedness, restoring critical infrastructure, safeguarding lives and livelihoods, and building long-term community resilience.

Nwoke after a field tour of project sites appreciated the human sufferings of the locals, adding that the 5-day field visit was a window into resilience, dignity, and the power of reaching those who are too often left behind.

The visit he confessed deepened his understanding of the lived experiences of flood-affected communities – the relentless hardship, the quiet strength, and the profound impact that targeted support can have.

The CRS Representative said interventions include rehabilitation of essential facilities such as schools, health centers, construction of flood barriers, community capacity-strengthening, livelihood support, and establishment of and collaboration with Local Disaster Risk Management Committees (LDRMCs).

Nwoke said the visit, an eye-opener on many levels, provided a rare opportunity to interact directly with JDPC Onitsha’s dedicated staff and volunteers, local leaders, health workers, teachers, women, men, and other community members who are deeply connected to this project.

“Although I had heard of Ogbaru before, I never grasped the sheer vastness or isolation of some of its communities. Akili Ogidi and Ogwu Ikpele was a test of resolve and resourcefulness. We traveled by motorbike for over an hour after the road ended in Ossamala, often navigating difficult terrain on foot.

“Akili Ogidi and Ogwu Ikpele are not just “hard-to-reach” communities—they are seemingly forgotten enclaves cut off by geography and, during the rains, they can only be accessed through the River Niger.

For him, the choice of such communities is a proof that JDPC Onitsha is commitment to vulnerable populations. “The headmaster of Ogwu-Ikpele Primary School, Mr. Nwafili Nnamdi Philip, spoke movingly about how the community never imagined being part of such a project.

“His words underscored just how transformative inclusive development can be when it reaches the margins. The role of LDRMCs at the grassroots needed greater emphasis.

“The community level structures are closer to the people and more responsive than interventions routed through structures situated at the local government level.

“At Ogwu Ikpele, we visited the primary school undergoing renovation. Most of the structural work, including sanitation facilities, had been completed.

“It was heartwarming to see children already using the new classrooms – a powerful symbol of hope returning to the community,” he said.

Appreciated the findings at Akili Ogidi, with a newly constructed health center, Nwoke commended the community’s active involvement, including handling the electrical installations.

“In a meeting at the traditional leader’s palace, community leaders expressed gratitude for the intervention. They equally requested an extension of the flood embankment to protect even more vulnerable areas,” Nwoke concluded.