The “Save The Children International” through its program, the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) a program funded by Foreign Countries and Development Office (FCDO) with the support of Community Support and Development Initiatives (CSADI) has empowered 550 households in two local government areas of Kano state.
The program currently implementing in three local government in Kano state namely Ajingi, Makoda and Minjibir focused on tackling out of school children in the implementing states.
Aisha Haruna Dederi, the households Economic Strengthening officer of CSADI in Makoda local government area at a town hall meeting on Tuesday in Makoda said the meeting is to inform the government officials, philanthropists, stakeholders, and the wider community about what the Core group members planned in order to tackle the educational service quality issues, and to solicit and advocate for support to solve the identified issues.
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According to her, 25 households mostly women were form into villages savings and loans group, and each community has this group, so if you add the old and new all together you will have not less than 425 house holds in Makoda alone, and this grouping system we call it Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) were by each will contribute and collect loans so as to improve their businesses.
“We have been asking parents to send their children to schools, but a lots of them complaints about economic challenges that why these groups was formed to support their children’s schooling and make them self reliance,” said Dederi.
“Before we work in nine communities, now we are working in eight communities namely Dan Marke, Tukwi, Koguna, Mai Tsidau, Kadandani, Sabaru and Wailare,” she said.
Also in Minjibir, the Households Economic Strengthening Officer Malam Musa Isiyaku Gundutse said they working in 5 communities each with 25 members of VSLA making the number of the beneficiaries to 125.
“We are working in five communities namely Minjibir, Wasai, Gandurwawa, Kunya and Sarbi, and I can tell you we are recording a lots of success,” Gundutse said.
Fatima Haruna Zakari, a child protection and safeguarding officer in CSADI said the program also take measure in protection of children, women and vulnerable against Gender Based Violence (GBV), as well as sensitization to the general public on the importance of child right to Education and maltreatment.
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According to her, the program is also mentoring and fighting child neglect, noting that a Community Based Child Protection Member unit comprising of leaders from all aspect of life in the community to follow any violations and settlement of any rights issues.
“We have protocol and confidentiality, we treat cases with utmost confidentiality, we guide child, we are counselling them, as I am speaking to you, we have treated more than thirty (30) cases,” said Fatima.
Also, speaking the child protection officer of Minjibir Halima Shu’aibu said a lots of success have been recorded especially in changing the mind set of some community members to embrace education for their children.
Bashir Ahmad Wasai the Ward head of Wasai in Minjibir local government area and Mu’azu Garba the ward head of Koguna the headquarters of Makoda local government area assured their commitment to support PLANE for the benefit of their children’s education.
The dua described PLANE, CSADI and other organizations as partners in progress, stressing that they will contribute their quota so as the set targets will be achieved.
The program with six year life span is currently implementing in three states of Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa state.
“Currently three local government implementing the program in Kano are Ajingi, Makoda and Minjibir local government, In Kaduna Soba and Kauru while in Jigawa Malam Madori and Babura,” said Dederi.