Rural Community Needs Assessment in Alapoti, Asokere and other villages in Atan-Ota, Ogun State

In continuation of the result-specific partnership and synergy of purposes between Welfarewatch International (WI) and Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS, Ado-Odo Division), the Project Manager of WI, Ademola Ayokanmi and the Ogun State Branch Divisions Liaison Officer of RCS, Suraju Kehinde Yahya were in Alapoti, Asokere and other villages that make-up the agrarian rural community.

Equally conspicuous in the Rural Rapid Assessment (RRA) team were Messrs. Stephen Lazars and Kumar Girish. The two expatriates were both representatives of the project’s principal partner and financier, Ade-Folorunsho Technical Ventures, an indigenous company that has chosen renovation and reconstruction of social infrastructure used mainly by the less privileged, disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in Ogun State and beyond.

The tedious journey to farming settlement began in Sango-Ota around 7.45am in the morning of May 24^th, 2015 and after the bumping and romping drive due to bad roads and inaccessibility, the visiting RRA team arrived at the Alapoti village two-an half hours later.

Eager and expectant people of Alapoti and other villages were on hand to welcome the group and were subsequently conveyed round the communal infrastructure that serve more than six villages, all surrounding Alapoti village.

Many social facilities were inspected including community water sources, toilet points as well as the Catholic Primary Schools in Asokere with virtually all its roofs gone or collapsing and where they (roofs) were still standing, the walls are either dilapidated or down completely.

From the team’s observation in the course of conducting the needs assessment and information gathered from the community people, the pupils of the school learn under strenuous conditions with little or no encouragement for their teachers and mistresses on the part of the state government though salaries are paid regularly. The school lacks toilet facilities and clean water sources for hygiene purposes also.

As expected, the farming settlement is deficient in healthcare service be it primary or whatever. The community, according to the people depends on herbs for their survival during malaria attack and every other sickness, as it takes a tedious ride to Atan Primary Health Centre or Ota General Hospital for orthodox medical treatment. Revealing more during the brainstorming session, it was said that pregnant women, children and the aged were most vulnerable and at in terms of prompt medical attention in an emergency situation.

After the assessment of the community’s infrastructure, the visiting team sat down with the community people to set priorities and through engagement decide on actions to be taken. The interface that was well-attended by all the villages representatives, it was resolved that the school needs urgent attention and should be given priority along with the provision of functional borehole for the agrarian-community to be located in Alapoti village for easy of accessibility by other people in the satellite villages.

Before rounding up, a committee was raised to marshal plans as well as coordinate the project implementation activities and this includes nomination from the visiting team as well as the village people. The committee members are expected to work and interact closely with a view to making recommendations to the decision-makers on how best to conduct the project activities.

Below are some of the pictures taken during the rural rapid appraisal tour, brainstorming and engagement with people of Alapoti, Asokere and other villages in the agrarian settlement, north of Atan town, Ogun State.   

These pics were taken during the needs assessment visit to Alapoti, Asokere and other agrarian villages to determine their areas of needs for empowerment.