Save the Child Initiative signed memorandum of understanding with UNICEF to provide case management services, referral services for 3,697 out of school adolescent girls and 3,442 Almajiri boys in Sokoto North and South LGA with collaboration of Ministry for Women Affairs, Arabic and Islamic Education Board, SUBEB, SAME in Sokoto state.
Introduction
To reintegrate Almajiri children back to their families and communities and reduce the vulnerability of Out-of-school adolescent girls and enrol the children back to school and strengthen community child protection structures to advocate for the abolishment of child protection issues using community-led approaches and equipping the young adults with life and vocational skills to promote work-readiness and sustainable livelihoods, especially married or at risk to be married, with access to SRHR knowledge, life skill and access to formal education and vocational skills.
STCI through Ministry for Women and Children Affairs and Arabic and Islamic Education Board with support from UNICEF and funding from ELEVA Foundation was able to train 739 (312 Sokoto North LGA and 427 Sokoto South LGA) out-of-school adolescent girls at risk of early marriage in various vocational skills through master crafts while 1,076 (461 Sokoto North and 615 Sokoto South LGA) Almajiri boys where trained in various vocational skills across Sokoto North and South LGA, STCI further linked 330 OoSAGs (160 for Sokoto North LGA and 170 for Sokoto South LGA) and 1,200 Almajiri boys (600 Sokoto South and 600 Sokoto North LGA) to State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) to be enrolled back to school.
3,697 OOSAGs (1,562 Sokoto North and 2,135 Sokoto South LGA) and 3,442 (1,322 Sokoto North and 2,120 Sokoto South LGA) Almajiri boys were empowered with life building skills through monthly mentorship sessions and psychosocial support conducted at the monthly sessions to build their resilience and equip the young adults to be positive contributors to the society.
Activities Conducted
To achieve the project objectives, the following activities were conducted in Sokoto North and South LGA:
- 143 (Sokoto North 38 females, 20 males and Sokoto South 55 females and 30 males) community caseworkers and 15 (6 females and 9 males) supervisors on case management, identification of child protection concerns and reporting mechanism and referral pathways, Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS) and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
- Community case workers empowered 3,697 OoSAGs and 3,442 Almajiri boys’ life skills such as Personal hygiene, communication, building life goals, SRHR, building self-esteem, Identifying Wants and Needs, Decision making, important of education. During the monthly engagements, case workers conducted psychosocial support for the girls and boys who have experienced various forms of violence to increase their resilience through physical expression therapy and counselling.
- Community caseworkers also conducted home visits as follow up measures and to ensure that traumatised children receive proper attention from caregivers. Community caseworkers also guided sick boys and girls receive medications at the primary health care centres.
- Joint Monitoring and supervision exercise was conducted for 739 (312 Sokoto North and 427 Sokoto South) OoSAGs and 1,076 (461 Sokoto North and 615 Sokoto South) Almajiri boys enrolled into various skills in their communities across Sokoto North and South LGA. Vocational skills centers visited includes, tailoring, snacks making centers, soap and Vaseline making centers, perfume and insecticides making centers, sola panel installation, phone repair center, welding and bag making centers across Sokoto North and South LGA communities.
At the monitoring exercise its was observed that most tailoring centres visited OoSAGs can now sew dresses and some of the OoSAGs and almajiri boys sewed simple gowns and caftan for little children and sold them during Sallah celebration.
At the Solar Panel installation, Almajiri boys can connect parallel wiring from solar to battery and also conduct simple circuit electricity connection.
Both OoSAGs and Almajiri boys learning cosmetology are now able to produce Vaseline, Hair creams, liquid soap and successfully perform body embordering.
Joint monitoring and supervision exercise was also conducted with UNICEF 16th May 2024.
STCI further distributed uniform materials to OoSAGs and Almajiri boys to further strengthen their skills.
Distribution of Dignity kits to OoSAGs was conducted by caseworkers. Caseworkers empowered OoSAGs on SRHR and how to keep a good personal hygiene.
Technical Sessions:
3,314 vulnerable OoSAGs were empowered with life skills while adapting the G4G manual which equipsed vulnerable OoSAGs directly with essential knowledge and skills, which will enable them, make informed choices as well as produce advocates for girls’ education and to prepare the girls for leadership at individual, school, community levels and beyond. Vulnerable OoSAGS were encouraged to be positive in participating in educational tasks and outcomes.
Caseworkers carefully introduced Module One, titled “Education”. This is to empower 330 Out of School Girls (160 Sokoto north and 170 Sokoto South) about their right to education, its benefits and the need for girls to be enrolled, retained, complete basic education and develop creativity skills while also empowering 736 (312 Sokoto North and 427 Sokoto South) OOSAGs who learn with life and vocational skills to promote work-readiness and sustainable livelihoods.
3,144 Almajiri boys empowered with life building skills using the G4G manual. The G4G manual was contextualize to empower almajiri boys who are in dire need of knowledge of hygiene.
Caseworkers used Module Six (6) “Hygiene Promotion”from the G4G manual was used to promote conditions and practices that help to maintain good health and prevent the spread of diseases through effective handwashing, safe excreta disposal, safe water use, and ways of keeping personal cleanliness and environmental hygiene. It also looks at balanced diet and habits to avoid. This module prepares the almajiri boys to effectively use the non-food items distributed to them and develop their personal hygiene.
Linkage of 739 vulnerable OoSAG to master crafts at the community level was conducted by caseworkers under the supervision of supervisors. 312 vulnerable OoAGs from Sokoto North LGA were linked to various crafts like Tailoring, Cosmetology, Catering (Snacks making), Body embroidering, Hair plaiting, Poultry and bags making, this was also conducted in January 2024. 427 vulnerable OoAGs from Sokoto south LGA were also linked to master crafts in their various communities.
In collaboration with Ministry for Women and Children Affairs, monitoring activity was conducted to OOSAGs linked to learning centres at the communities and master craft who training the girls with various skills.
Case workers and supervisors also documented service provision in the CPIMS during the implementation period.
158 caseworkers trained on integrated case management system including CPIMS to monitor VAC in Sokoto north and South LGAs.
