UNICEF, Sokoto Govt. partner to train out-of-school children

UNICEF, Sokoto Govt. partner to train out-of-school children

Training
By Habibu Harisu
Sokoto, June 25, 2024 (NAN) UNICEF,  in collaboration with Sokoto State Government, has commenced skill acquisition training for vulnerable Almajiri children and out-of-school adolescent girls.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project was initiated to promote the overall wellbeing of out-of-school children and adolescent girl drop-outs in the state.

It was being supported by ELEVA Foundation.

In a field visit to Sokoto on Tuesday, the UNICEF Child Protection Officer, Mr Ibrahim Sessay, said that the programme was being conducted in two established Community-Based Child Protection Multipurpose Centres in Kware and Dange/Shuni Local Government Areas (LGAs).

Sessay said that at present no fewer than 4,700 Almajiri and out-of-school adolescent girls were registered for training to prepare them on livelihood skills for their  wellbeing.

He said that the training would cover tailoring, soap making as well as antiseptic and shampoo production.

According to him, 3,000 of the trainees were Almajiri children, 1,700 were out-of-school adolescent girls in eight LGAs.

Sessay further said that at least 2,000 out-of-school children were also identified and referred back to schools in the covered LGAs.

He said that the two multi-purpose centres would provide recreational facilities for children, safe space for counselling services, mental health support and psycho-social services, besides occupational training.

He, therefore, appealed to the State Government to increase budgetary allocation to sectors impacting children’s education, health, sanitation and protection to ensure the expansion and sustainability of the interventions.

Sessay underscored the importance of scaling up the initiative in other locations in the state to ensure that a larger number of vulnerable Almajiri children and out-of-school adolescent girls had access to education.

Earlier, the Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Sokoto, Mr Michael Juma, said the initiative would reduce the vulnerability of children in the state.

Juma said that the state Arabic and Islamic Education Board, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, supported by UNICEF, had identified and registered vulnerable children in the state.

He also said that in a comprehensive survey by the office, 449,523 children were verified and registered, comprising 113,208 Almajiris and 136,315 out-of-school children and adolescent girls.

He said that the initiative was targeted at other vulnerable groups, such as survivors of Gender-Based Violence, Victims of Violence against Children and others.

In a remark, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Alhaji Tukur Alkali, thanked UNICEF and ELEVA Foundation for the gesture.

Alkali said that Gov. Ahmed Aliyu’s administration was poised to reduce the number.of the out-of-school children through deliberate policies targeted toward massive enrollment of children in school.

Speaking on behalf of the benefiting communities, the District Head of Kware, Alhaji Muhammad Dan’Iya, thanked UNICEF and ELEVA Foundation for building and equipping the multi-purpose centres.

Dan’Iya gave assurance that the community would provide more support to the project for maximum success. (NAN)(wwwnannews.ng)

HMH/USO
Edited by Sam Oditah