Empowering Refugees: CRRI's Chair Visits Nigeria, Extends Lifeline To Cameroonian Refugees

Dr. Atangcho donates laptop to ICT trainee with disabilities in Calabar, Cross River State Nigeria

By Sah Terence Animbom 

In a gesture of solidarity and commitment to humanitarian causes, Dr. Celestine Atangcho, Board Chair of the Community Refugee Relief Initiative (CRRI), visited Nigeria from August 18 to 19, 2024. The visit marked a significant milestone in CRRI's ongoing efforts to support Cameroonian refugees who have fled the protracted Anglophone crisis in their homeland. The initiative, which began as a birthday act of kindness led by Dr. Atangcho and two others, in 2019, has since evolved into a vital lifeline for thousands of displaced individuals seeking refuge in neighboring Nigeria. 

The Community Refugee Relief Initiative was founded in 2019 by Dr. Celestine Atangcho and a concerned group of Cameroonians in the United States, as a response to the dire conditions faced by Cameroonian refugees in Nigeria. Initially, a trio, led by Celestine Atangcho intended to provide food supplies to support their compatriots in a foreign land. However, upon witnessing the severity of the refugees' plight firsthand, they realized that a more sustainable approach was necessary. This realization led to the creation of CRRI and the CRRI's refugee traineeship program, which aims to equip refugees with skills that can help them become self-reliant and improve their livelihoods. 

"When we came visiting in 2019, we just wanted to bring some food supplies to support our compatriots who were going through difficult times in a strange land," 

Dr. Atangcho recalled.

 "But when we saw firsthand what they were going through, we decided to think about sustainability. We thought that we can't only come to give food always and that there had to be a sustainable strategy. That was how we came up with the refugee traineeship program." 

Since then CRRI has had more people buying the vision and joining them in their quest to empower refugees and Internally Displaced Persons. 

Dr. Atangcho and CRRI team donate sewing machines and accessories to trainees in tailoring in Calabar

Since its inception, the refugee traineeship program has enrolled nearly 400 refugees, with 267 successfully completing their training. The program, which offers courses in various trades such as tailoring, hairdressing, aluminum works, information and communication technology (ICT), and motor mechanics, has empowered many refugees to start their businesses. In 2021, CRRI began providing startup kits to trainees, further enabling them to apply their newly acquired skills to earn a living. 

In June 2023, Dr. Atangcho led a CRRI delegation to Nigeria, where they provided startup kits to trainees in Taraba, Benue, and Cross River states. The kits included sewing machines, hair dryers, aluminum works tools, and ICT equipment. This initiative was part of CRRI's broader mission to help refugees achieve financial independence and rebuild their lives with dignity. 

Dr. Atangcho's most recent visit to Nigeria, coinciding with International Humanitarian Day, was marked by several significant events and donations. Accompanied by the CRRI team on the ground, Dr. Atangcho's visit began on August 18 at the Adagon 1 settlement in Ogoja, Cross River State. The visit was honored by the presence of Ms. Akiko Tsujisawa the UNHCR Senior Protection Officer, reflecting the importance of CRRI's work in the region. 

At Adagon 1, the CRRI team handed over 15 modern hair dryers to trainees in hairdressing and an industrial sewing machine to a trainee in tailoring. The reception was filled with songs, dance, and heartfelt hugs, a testament to the deep appreciation the refugees have for CRRI's unwavering support. 

Following the event at Adagon 1, Dr. Atangcho and his team visited the Agborkim Waterfall settlement in the Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State, where they donated food and non-food supplies to approximately 100 refugee children. The children, full of joy and excitement, welcomed the CRRI team with songs and praises, grateful for the much-needed assistance.

Food and non food items donated to Children at the Kids of Tomorrow Foundation Orphanage in Ikom.JPG

Addressing the CRRI team, the settlement leader expressed profound gratitude for the organization's commitment to ensuring that refugees continue to feel cared for and supported. Dr. Atangcho also promised to send school supplies to help the children prepare for the upcoming school year. 

Dr. Atangcho donates startup kits to trainees in Ikom Nigeria

The CRRI team's humanitarian efforts did not stop there. They also made a stop at the Kids of Tomorrow Foundation Orphanage, a children's home in Ikom, Cross River State. Here, they donated food and non-food supplies, continuing a tradition that has become a recurring aspect of CRRI's visits to Nigeria. Dr. Atangcho expressed his joy at being able to connect with the children, stating,

"I receive special prayers from the kids each time I visit them, and I am always excited to pay them a visit and to commune with them." 

On August 19, 2024, the CRRI team continued their mission in Ikom, where they distributed startup equipment to trainees in various trades. The beneficiaries, who had already begun using their skills to support themselves and their families, received sewing machines, hair dryers, aluminum works tools, laptops, and desktop computers. The donations were met with immense gratitude, with the trainees promising to make good use of the equipment to improve their livelihoods. 

The visit culminated in the empowerment of refugee trainees in Calabar, the capital city of Cross River State. CRRI provided sewing machines, including industrial models, to nine trainees in tailoring, toolboxes, and key startup machines to three individuals trained in glass and aluminum works. Additionally, eight trainees in ICT received laptops, with a physically challenged trainee receiving a laptop and multifunction printer. Trainees in motor mechanics were also equipped with toolboxes, overalls, and helmets, while a trainee in carpentry received tools and cutting and drilling machines. 

Startup kits for refugee trainees in Aragon 1, Ogoja Nigeria

One of the trainees in ICT, who recently secured a job in Freetown, Sierra Leone, expressed profound gratitude to CRRI. 

"The training CRRI gave me has changed my life completely," 

the trainee said.

 "I just had a job in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and will be moving there with my family soon, thanks to this training. I can't thank CRRI enough. While I am thanking them, I'm also taking the opportunity to appeal that so many of our fellow compatriots are suffering and need such training and empowerment to be able to take care of themselves."

According to Kiyam Emmanuel, a Cameroonian refugee sponsored by Dr. Atangcho at the Global Wealth University; an affiliate of the South American University, with main campuses in Togo,

 “Dr. Atangcho's visit to Nigeria underscores CRRI's unwavering commitment to improving the lives of Cameroonian refugees. By providing not only immediate relief in the form of food and non-food supplies but also long-term support through vocational training and empowerment programs, CRRI is helping refugees build a brighter future for themselves and their families.” 

Emmanuel recently graduated with a degree in International Relations and says he owes the achievement to Dr. Celestine Atangcho.

The organization's efforts have been met with deep appreciation from the refugee communities, who see CRRI as a beacon of hope in their time of need. 

As CRRI continues its work in Nigeria, the organization remains dedicated to its mission of fostering self-reliance and dignity among refugees.