To Whomever It May Concern:
The plight of children in Nigeria requires immediate action, and we need
your help in the form of donations.
Children in Nigeria face a bleak future given an infant mortality rate of
80 deaths/1,000 live births (compared to 8 in the US, 7 in New Zealand, or
6 in Canada and Germany). According to a recent report on Nigeria by the
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the prospects of a healthy life
for the average child in Nigeria have declined drastically in the past
decade. According to available data, one Nigerian child in every four
dies before age five from preventable diseases. A recent report by the
World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that about 300 daily infant
deaths are due to malaria alone in Nigeria; a country where less than 30
per cent of the children are immunized against childhood diseases.
Nutritionally, iron deficiency anaemia remains as high as 35 per cent in
several areas of this West African nation.
Among other things, an increase in the level of household poverty is
responsible for leaving children without necessary protection, with many
children taking to unprotected life on the streets. The World Bank ranks
Nigeria as the 33rd poorest country in the world. The incidence of
poverty has increased to about 70% of the population. Between 1980 and
1995, Nigeria's per capita income declined from US$1030 to less than
US$300. With high unemployment and chronic poverty, many parents cannot
afford to send their children to school, while children who attend schools
do so without basic necessities such as pens, pencils, chalk, erasers,
etc. Classrooms are congested at a ratio of 120 pupils to one classroom,
and up to 50 per cent of the students drop out of school.
This is why the International Foundation for Nigerian Children (IFNC) is
asking for your assistance in its mission to reduce and eventually
eliminate illness, poverty and illiteracy among children in Nigeria.
Founded in early 1998 by a group of Nigerians in Europe, America, Africa,
Australia and Asia, the IFNC, a charitable non-profit organization
registered in the United States of America, is dedicated to improving the
welfare of children in Nigeria, by making financial and in-kind donations
to Nigerian institutions that serve children. For the next three to four
years, we will focus on health, nutrition, and education. Since we have
members in Nigeria and various countries of the world, we are well placed
to coordinate the delivery of donations. All members of the Foundation
are volunteers, which reduces overheard expenses. As a result, over 85%
of donations will go directly to assisting children in Nigeria. While all
donations will be kindly appreciated, the following are considered to
address the immediate and direct needs of children in Nigeria:
Financial
- Cash
- Child sponsorship
Food
- Grain & wheat
Educational equipment
- Computers
- Laboratory tools
Drugs and hospital equipments
On behalf of children in Nigeria, we thank you for your time and
anticipated generosity.
Yours sincerely,
Imeh Inyang
[Imeh@ifnc.org]
Executive Manager, IFNC