Project Longhurst: making an impact in Nigeria (HART UK)
Chris Broome – Chartered Financial Planner
We promised to bring you regular updates on our corporate charitable giving programme, ‘Project Longhurst’, which aims to support organisations involved in humanitarian, animal welfare, environmental and financial education causes.
We’re really pleased to share this recent update from our humanitarian partner, HART UK, on the impact donations are making in Nigeria.
Thanks to your support, HART’s local partners have transformed thousands of lives in central Nigeria.
- Four ‘Roads to Hope’ vans have been deployed to remote locations in Plateau State and Southern Kaduna, providing education to over 5,000 displaced students since 2021.
- A further two healthcare vehicles have reached 2,500 villagers since late 2023, helping victims of conflict who cannot visit a hospital, and who would otherwise be left to fend for themselves.
“The security situation is very, very volatile. We are so grateful for all that HART supporters have been able to achieve with Roads to Hope.”
Hassan John, Project Coordinator
Why your support matters
Terrorist violence continues to escalate in central Nigeria. Victims face life-changing injuries – such as gunshot or machete wounds. Children cannot go to school – at the expense of their education.
Major aid organisations provide very little support, as most of their aid is directed to the north of the country. Displaced families are forced to rely on help from local churches or small NGOs, or they receive no aid at all.
“The humanitarian crisis in central Nigeria rarely hits our headlines. We must no longer turn a deaf ear to the suffering of displaced families, widows and orphans.”
Baroness Cox, Founder of HART
Terrorist attacks at Christmas
Over the Christmas period in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi communities, HART received reports that 300 people were killed in “horrific” and “well-coordinated” attacks by Fulani militia. Some of the victims “were in a Christmas Eve prayer meeting when they were rounded up and butchered.”
Despite warnings, “the security operatives seem to have either ignored the warnings or feigned ignorance.” One local partner told us: “Nearly 350 people were injured and as many as 12,000 displaced [this figure may now be as high as 30,000] and scattered in refugee camps. Many people are still reported missing.”
“Our Roads to Hope team will go out to communities who were attacked on Christmas Eve in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi.”
Hassan John, Project Coordinator
Helping local partners save lives
In the face of great suffering, our six Roads to Hope vans have transformed thousands of lives. Plans are already underway to deploy our seventh vehicle – an additional mobile health clinic, equipped with medicines, medical equipment, and a treatment area, where patients will receive life-saving medical attention and pre-hospital care.
To support our local partners in central Nigeria, please donate today.
Find out more
To read more about Project Longhurst, please visit our dedicated website page.
For more information about HART, visit their website.
