UNICEF, in partnership with the Eleva Foundation, says it has empowered no fewer than 60,000 almajiri children and out-of-school adolescent girls on lifelong skills in its five implementing states.

The states are Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Sokoto, and Katsina.

The UNICEF’s child protection specialist in Sokoto, Pius Uwamanua, said this during a media field trip to the three centres constructed for almajiri children and out-of-school adolescent girls in Sokoto state.

Mr Uwamanua said the project had been transformative in supporting the growth of the children.

The collaboration has birthed the construction of a child-friendly space centre for these categories of children to learn for livelihood.

The project, situated at three locations of the Dange-Shuni, Kware, and Wamakko LGAs, is a one-stop centre that provides different services for children who need support.

Mr Uwamanua said, “The Ministry of Women Affairs, in collaboration with relevant civil society organisation partners and with the support of UNICEF, verified and registered about 249,523 vulnerable children.

“This included out-of-school adolescents’ girls (113,208 almajirai and 136,315O out-of-school) through a household survey and visit to Tsangaya, where many of the almajiris reside with their malams.”

He explained that despite increasing primary enrolment in Sokoto, 113,208 almajiri children, mostly boys, were living outside of family care, and 136,315 adolescent girls remained out of school.

He, therefore, said a data analysis carried out by UNICEF on the verified and registered children revealed the types of vulnerabilities that confront these children.

Mr Uwamanua said the centre provided multi-sectoral support in different services for children, such as vocational, digital, and mentorship training, among others.

He added that the programme had also been able to eradicate the culture of silence with regards to early and forced marriages while also providing psychosocial support for the girls.

On the sustainability of the project, he explained that the organisations worked with a CSO to support the process with the Arabic Board and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.

Also speaking, Cecilia Eseme, the Centre for People’s Health, Peace, and Progress executive coordinator, emphasised the need for a mentorship programme for the children to resist pressure for early marriages.

Ms Eseme said the project would continue to be strengthened to provide support for children.

(NAN)