Children are essential for the development of any country but globally, too many children still start their lives at a disadvantage simply because of who they are, where they are born, and where they are from. The disadvantage, experienced by children impacts greatly on their development and ability to achieve their dreams in life. It impedes on their right to a healthy, safe, educated, and protected life with a future filled with joy, hope, and brightness.
With a few years to the end date for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, the lives of children are still troubled with many challenges. This establishes the fact that many countries are far from making significant progress in achieving the targets across the 17 goals. These efforts demand a holistic approach that includes children as a critical and essential audience in the global development narrative.
Globally, over a 1 billion children are plunged in poverty, which fundamentally challenges the child development by disproportionately affecting their growth caused by hunger, deprivation, and starvation. Many children lack the basic necessities of life such as food, shelter, health care, sanitation, education, etc., which is required for them to survive and thrive. Many children are affected by multidimensional poverty and over 100 million children were plunged into poverty due to the COVID-19 incidence. Over 5 million children die annually due to preventable or treatable health issues while others have to deal with issues of stunting and other related health disabilities that could be treated or managed. Education is a key to development but an estimated 450 million children lack the opportunity to learn and be educated. While another 400 million children are growing in conflict situations which has implications for increased exposure to traumas and other related mental and psychosocial conditions. While this is the global situation, African children share a large portion of these challenges and deplorable situations.
Understanding the implication of this deplorable situation for children across the world especially children in Africa with Nigeria as the epicenter, HEARD Africa birthed The Reach A Child Project with the goal of inspiring an all-inclusive transformational development of children in Nigeria and Africa. The project specifically seeks (i) to protect children from the prevailing development challenges that impede maximum growth and development; (ii) to equip children with knowledge and skills focused on ending child poverty in the family and within the community (iii) strengthen the social cohesion across the family and community units that supports development of children (iv) facilitate advocacy, mobilization and engagement of actors and policymakers to focus and address vulnerability that affect children and (v) produce evidence through research and innovate strategies using digital enabled approaches to advance the capacity of children.
In October 2023, the Reach a Child Project was activated in FCT Abuja Nigeria. An education-focused intervention designed to equip 1000 school children in five Government Junior Secondary Schools (JSS Mpape, JSS Kabusa, JSS Shere, JSS Orozo, JSS Nyanya 1) located in AMAC and Bwari Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The schools visited were selected from locations where families in the lowest poverty quintiles reside. These schools are also one of the many schools in FCT that require critical infrastructural upgrades and support. In each school, 200 school children were gifted with educational materials – 3 branded exercise books and a mathematical Instrument; personal care materials – Toothbrush, Tooth bath, and a Bathing Soap. Reaching a total of 1000 school children, 58% were females while 42% were males.
In achieving the results, HEARD Africa collaborated with the Office of the Honorable Member Representing AMAC and Bwari Federal Constituency at the Nigeria National Assembly which provided an opportunity for the needs of the schools to be identified for directed intervention support through the National Assembly Constituency Funds. These schools will be adopted for a series of infrastructural improvements, development of skills for the school children on Gender and Gender-based violence, entrepreneurship, water, sanitation, and hygiene, leadership amongst other topics.
For the plight of the children especially indigent children and children from poor families to be protected, join us at HEARD Africa on the REACH A CHILD PROJECT. It is expedient, for every child deserves care.
Written by
Akaoma Onyemelukwe (Executive Director Heardafrica)
