ByOlashore Emmanuel Abiodun

In Nigeria, a child can be referred to as person that is below 18 years old.

An Orphan is a child who have lost either one or both parents.

A vulnerable child is one whose parent(s) do not have the capability to care for due to health, physical, social or economic reasons.

“UNAIDS 2007 report showed that everyday 1,800 new HIV infection

and 1,400 deaths from AIDS-related illness among children below the

age of 15”

“According to the last national survey (2008) there

are 17.5million OVC in Nigeria”

Institutional care Adoption Foster care Extended family care Community based care

• Interventions to assist orphans should be based in and owned by the affected community - (General consensus)

• Members of the community are in the best position to know which orphan households are most severely affected and what sort of help is appropriate in the local culture

• The role of outside organizations is to assist communities by capacity building

1. Raising awareness about the problem2. Documenting the extent of the problem3. Mobilizing the community for action4. Making ends meet5. Helping to educate and train children6. Improving legal system to help children

“Knowledge in time results in changed attitude”

Helping individuals and communities to become aware of children’s needs for family love and care, irrespective of their health, physical, and social status.

As many people as possible should be involved in awareness raising activities

Assessing the needs of both caregivers and children – (community members must be fully involved)

Keeping a register of OVC Finding out what community can do for

themselves (identifying gaps between needs and resources)

Checking on progress

“Consider the role of outside organizations existing resources and

community members” Developing partnership with outside

organizations Networking all the helping systems e.g.

state, traditional, religious, educational, NGO, CBO, volunteer e.t.c.

Mobilizing volunteers - (Recruiting, Selecting, Organizing, Training, and Acknowledging the efforts of volunteers)

“The greatest challenge of communities is to become more productive so that

fewer adults can care for more children”• Saving labour• Directly increasing household income• Relieving the burden – (food aid, school fees,

cash grants e.t.c.)• Indirect measures – (protecting property and

inheritance rights of women and children)

“Enabling children to stay in school or to have vocational training improves their ability to provide for their needs

now and in future” NGO Wealthier families Exception from fees

“Orphans lack the protection normally provided by their parents and can be

exploited” Advocacies Changes of legislation (long term) Free legal system Protecting the child's right