NGO donates supportive devices to 8,000 disabled children
From Fauziyya Lawal, Katsina
Save the Children International (SCI), an NGO, has launched the distribution of assistive devices to children with special needs, and referral to specialists in Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina States.
Mr Mustapha Yusuf, the SCI Advocacy and Campaign Officer, disclosed this at the launch of the distribution on Sunday in Mashi Local Government Area of Katsina.
He said the benefiting LGAs were; Mashi and Musawa in Katsina, Bungudu and Anka in Zamfara, and Chukun and Igabi in Kaduna State.
According to Yusuf, the gesture is under the NGO’s Integrated Emergency Education Response (IEER) project in Northwest, targeting about 8,000 children with special needs.
He explained that some of the assistive devices include; wheel chair, hearing aid devices, crutches walking sticks, magnifying glasses and artificial eyes, among others
Yusuf said that the project was funded by the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) initiative and implemented by SCI in collaboration with the government of benefiting states.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the one-year project began in Oct. 2024 across the selected LGAs in Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina States.
The SCI advocacy and campaign officer added that officials were still assessing children with special needs across the LGAs in the benefitting states.
He added that in Katsina alone, about 2,500 children expected to benefit from Mashi and Musawa LGAs, would also be supported to return to school.
Yusuf further revealed that the project had enrolled about 29,127 children into classes, exceeding its target of 21,127 in-school children and 7,000 out-of-school children, with 8,150 out-of-school children now enrolled.
He emphasised that the goal was to support children affected by displacement due to insecurity or flooding, ensuring uninterrupted access to education.
“Since it’s an integrated project, we’re also addressing protection and gender discrimination. We aim to support communities in Mashi and Musawa LGAs to develop climate change mitigation plans.
“To strengthen child protection, SCI is working with community structures to implement protective strategies,” he said.
He noted that the project included alternative learning centres for out-of-school children and partnerships with schools for in-school students.
Yusuf added that the project had also registered more than 2,100 parents for positive parenting classes, known as ‘Safe Family,’ in Mashi LGA.
In his remarks, the Mashi Council Chairman, Alhaji Salisu Kalla, commended the NGO for the gesture, and promised to extend all the necessary support towards the success of the project in the area.
NAN
