CASE STORY

BY CHIDERA D&G AFFA

D&G ACTION AND CASE STORIES AS RECORDED BY AFFA WOMEN.: On 2nd Feb, 2010, two women from Amokwe CBO came to the Mobilizer reporting that police were arresting both men and women indiscriminately. She asked why and she was told that it was because of land dispute between Umuoka and Amokwu Affa. Her concern was the woman involved. The two women were sent with Okada to the four CBOs.

Within one hour, about FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY women went to the outskirt of Amokwu. On reaching there, we found out that it was interrogating that the policemen did.

The executives of 100 women group called the leaders of Amokwu to find out what was wrong. We were told that Umuoka people removed the bill board Affa youth mounted. This generated to the killing of a young man from Amokwu. And the consequent arrest of young men Amokwu and other villages in Affa community..

What we did was that we blocked the road coming down to Amokwu and camped there. For two days we were there singing and praying. Around 1:30pm on the 5th of Feb, a team of policemen came there and told us to remove the blockage that they came for peace keeping and not for arrest and interrogation. After dialoging with the police on what the matter is, the women agreed to trek to the Nsukka expressway to ascertain if the road is really clear and if the police did not come for more arrest.

The Mobilizer and eight other women trekked from their base to Nsukka expressway with some of the policemen. They assured us that there would be no more arrest again. On coming back to our base, some men who are leaders of thought heard what we did and came out to meet the policemen. After introduction and dialogue the blockage was removed because the police told us the state governor sent them. Before the intervention of the D&G, all the youths and men were in hidden places. They only took courage when they saw the bold step taken by the D&G women in solidarity. However the case is still in the court due to the murder of issue but we are working privately to support our community because men handle land dispute although the men have seen that D&G women have strength and good work and now solicit for their assistance in most community issues.
Furthermore the women paid condolence to the deceased wife (Theresa) who stays in indoors for months to encourage her to come out and continue the struggle where her late husband stopped. She was supported financially to start up a trade by 100 WG who have recorded many posture changes in her life and others.

TESTIMONY BY DIBUIKE D&G WOMEN OGBOLI AWGU COMMUNITY.
Dibuike D&G Ogboli Awgu women were inaugurated in 2008. Since then the women of the community have been participating in DEC social and financial activities and there are positive changes in the lives of people at Ogboli-Awgu especially women who now use the credit collected from DEC to trade and earn better living.
In November 2008, the D&G women decided to embark on a water project, which is too exorbitant for the women and others interested to support. DEC officials having crosschecked the entire cost of the project advised the women to rather start a project that will cost less and will further benefit the community.

In the course of acquiring a land to sight a project, the women faced a lot of challenges but later got one from their stakeholders due to their unity and speaking with one voice.

The D&G women were able to start a daily market project from the monthly meeting savings and levies which they charged the entire women in the community. In the past the Ogboli- Awgu people have suffered set back in their farm product transactions due to lack of market where they can sale off their goods.

Also it has been an ugly experience for women and Ogboli-Awgu community at large not to achieve positive results from the fund their people contributed yearly in the name of community development projects but failed to achieve due to lack of transparency on the side of the leaders.

Presently with the commitment of well organized D&G women Ogboli-Awgu supported by their community stakeholders and with good leadership, the women have built two big buildings named Alaoma daily market which has over 40 lock up stores assisted by DEC Enugu and also commissioned recently.

People from far and near now come to their market to transact their trades. This has gone a long way to alleviate poverty from poor residents and community dwellers of Ogboli-Awgu.

LONG LIVE DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME