Yemisi Izuora
Nigerian non-denominational Christian assembly, The Elevation Church (TEC) has undertaken several efforts to provide nutritional, medical, spiritual, emotional and psychological support to the residents of Lagos State most affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Lagos has been the epicenter of the virus in the country since the index cases in the country, a foreign national, arrived in the state at the beginning of February.
Through its social intervention arm, Pistis Foundation, the church set up a Food Bank has provided over 4,000 food bags to the indigent. The food bags comprised of staples such as rice, beans, garri, tinned tomatoes, milk, sugar, oil and much more to enable recipients feed in these critical times where economic activities have stalled. In adherence to the social distancing preventive measure as advised by the World Health Organisation, the Foundation set up a call centre, which received thousands of calls and emails from Nigerians in need, to process the selection and delivery of the relief materials. It later patterned with GIG logistics to deliver food bags to the recipients residing around the Lagos metropolis following the strictest standards of hygiene and safety for all involved. In the face of continued need, the Foundation will continue to increase its efforts to alleviate the suffering of the poor in the state.
Pistis Foundation and the church’s team of medical professionals are also providing free medical interventions to those who might need same at this time at no cost to the beneficiaries. This is done in partnership with St. Kizito’s Clinic, Lekki and Chion Hospital, Maryland, Lagos.
To foster community, emotional support and mental wellness, The Elevation Church has also partnered with the Institute of Family Engineering and Development to provide free psychological counselling services to people who require support or a listening ear at this time, while also deploying more phone lines for church counselling services.
This goes alongside several initiatives that have been launched to engage and support people online via social media.
Commenting on the ongoing initiatives, Pastor Akinlabi emphasized that one of the cardinal objectives of TEC from inception was to be a church that practically impacts the lives of people wholesomely.
“From our E200 programme designed to support the most financially challenged at the bottom of the socioeconomic pyramid, to our Ubomi Medical/Surgical Outreach to the medically underserved, and our Pistis Foundation driving several other people-centric initiatives, we have embedded within our DNA, an ingrained culture of practically uplifting lives. It is, therefore, consistent with this commitment that we rapidly responded and will continue to play our part in ameliorating this unfortunate hardship by providing relief materials and support to not only needing members, and to the most vulnerable of the society.” he remarked