The Oyo State Government and ActionAid Nigeria, on Thursday, distributed essential household items to 70 vulnerable beneficiaries at Offa Igbo Community in the Lagelu Local Government Area of the state, as part of efforts to improve living conditions and strengthen social protection for disadvantaged households.
The beneficiaries comprised eight persons with disabilities, 10 young girls and other vulnerable households.
Items distributed included blankets, mats, buckets, towels, bathing soaps, detergents, body creams, slippers, sanitary pads and other essential domestic materials.
The intervention, organised by ActionAid Nigeria, through the European Union-funded European Union Support for Strengthening Social Protection in Nigeria project, was held to commemorate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, themed ‘United for Peace and Human Rights.’
The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, represented by the organisation’s Partnership and Local Rights Specialist, Kehinde Arowosegbe, said poverty went beyond the inability to meet basic financial needs, noting that it also involved limited access to education, healthcare, nutritious food, decent housing, clean water and employment opportunities.
Arowosegbe said the 2026 theme, with a specific focus on ‘Safe Homes for All,’ highlighted the relationship between adequate housing, human dignity, security and poverty reduction.
He said, “A safe home should provide individuals and families with security, privacy, stability and protection from abuse, violence and environmental hazards,” adding that “children, women, older persons and persons with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of inadequate housing.
“Poverty eradication requires sustainable interventions that would strengthen people’s capacities, expand economic opportunities, protect their rights and enable them to live productive and dignified lives.”
He also called “for stronger community participation in development planning, improved accountability in public spending and greater protection for vulnerable groups.”
Speaking during the community-led engagement, the ESSPIN Programme Officer, Owoyemi Abidemi, said, “The household items were selected to address the everyday needs of beneficiaries and make their living conditions more comfortable.”
Abidemi explained that although the organisation could not provide houses for the beneficiaries, it considered the distribution of essential household materials a practical way of supporting families and promoting safer living environments.
“We are giving these items to 70 people, out of whom eight are persons with disabilities, and 10 are young girls. The rest are households. We considered the everyday needs of families and what we could provide to make life easier for them, particularly in relation to the theme of safe homes for all.
“We may not be able to give them houses, but we can provide things that will make life easier when they get home. That is why we have blankets, mats, buckets, towels and other household necessities. Each beneficiary would receive a package containing between seven and 10 items, although the contents would vary,” Abidemi stated.
In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of the State Programme Manager of Cash Transfer Unit, Akintunde Gbadamosi, the unit’s Training and Communication Officer, Seun Olalekanmi, said, “Access to safe and decent housing is an important component of poverty eradication.”
Olalekanmi described “a home as more than a physical structure,” saying “it represented safety, belonging, stability and dignity.”
She noted that “inadequate housing exposed families to preventable diseases, poor sanitation, insecurity and other social challenges capable of perpetuating poverty.”
The programme manager said the state government had continued to “implement social protection and economic empowerment initiatives, including the Oyo State Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus programme, to improve the socio-economic conditions of vulnerable households and strengthen their resilience against economic shocks.”
The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed annually on October 17 to raise awareness about poverty, recognise the struggles of people living in poverty and promote collective efforts towards ending deprivation.
