The Plight of a Vulnerable Child

Our vulnerable children having their peer session

Who is a vulnerable child? A vulnerable child is any one between the ages of 0- 17 years, who as a result of some circumstances surrounding him or her is deprived of some basic needs, like food, shelter and clothing.Nigeria defines an orphan as a child (0-17 years) who has lost one or both parents. A child is vulnerable if, because of the circumstances of birth or immediate environment, is prone to abuse or deprivation of basic needs, care and protection and thus disadvantaged relative to his or her
peers (FMWA&SD 2008).
An orphan is a vulnerable child because he or she has lost one or both parents to death, either as a result of health challenge, accident, insurgency or others. A disable child is vulnerable, also children living in a household where one or more people are ill, dying or deceased, or which fosters orphans, and children whose care givers are too ill or old to continue to care for them are vulnerable. They often have more health and social  needs than their peers.
According to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) an OVC is “a child, 0-17 years old, who is either orphaned or made more vulnerable because of HIV/AIDS.” PEPFAR recognizes that a vulnerable child is one who is living in circumstances with high risks and whose prospects for continued growth and development are seriously impaired, and the term OVC may refer to all vulnerable children, regardless of the cause. According to PEPFAR, a child is more vulnerable because of any or all of the following factors that result from HIV/AIDS: Is HIV-positive; lives without adequate adult support; lives outside of family care; or is marginalized, stigmatized, or discriminated against.

According to 2008 situation analysis,

• There 17.5 million OVC, including 7.3 million orphans
• 2.39 million orphans are due to AIDS (FMOH, 2008)
• 10.7% of the 69 million children are vulnerable (UNICEF, 2007)
• 10% of children are orphaned (7% in North-west to 17%in South-East), 
• 10% in rural, 11% in urban

only a small percentage of Nigerian orphans finds their ways to the orphanages as most of them finds solace in the homes of family friends or relatives where they often end up being abused in many ways, some even go all day without food to eat, no good drinking water, education is not part of their agenda, as there is no one to train them in schools. The government still has to beam it search light and lend some support to the orphanages or motherless babies homes as they are often called, likewise good spirited individuals are to come to the aid of these special group of people who have special needs.

ANNUAL REPORT

ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2O15

Prepared on

20^thDecember, 2015

Overview

The activities of Foosteer Initiative for Community Health and Social Development (FICHSD) in 2015 are far reaching. Lives of women and vulnerable children were touched and the impact of activities carried out across the various communities in Kogi State cannot be overemphasized. The activities which are in line with the organization’s vision were aimed at saving and improving the lives of women and children. Services ranging from Nutrition, Education, Health, Psychosocial Support, to Household Economic Strengthening through income generating activities, were carried out.

Foosteer Initiative for Community Health and Social Development was established and Incorporated as an NGO, a nonprofit making organization. FICHSD aims at saving and improving lives of women and vulnerable children in rural poor communities through integrated innovations.

Vision Statement

A world without discrimination, poverty, hunger, disease, and want, where every woman and child is empowered to lead productive lives

Mission Statement

Saving and Improving lives of women and children in poor communities through integrated Innovations

Objectives

ü  Advocate for individual, families and community participation in health and social development activities.

ü  Partnering with government agencies, health organizations, other community and faith based organizations for the purpose of bringing permanent positive social change and deliver value to members through information, advocacy and service.

ü  Work with individuals, family and communities in rural poor areas to bring a permanent end to social disparity, poverty, hunger, disease, and want.

ü  Women and Children Empowerment.

ü  HIV Prevention and Reproductive Health.

ü  Nutrition.

ü  Water and Sanitation.

ü  Inspire and Motivate individuals, families, communities to lead productive lives.

This report covers activities carried out by the organization within the months of January to December 2015.

DISCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES:

FIGHTING POVERTY AND HUNGER

Hunger is one of the most devastating, widespread epidemics in the world currently, affecting nearly 900 million people; many of them are women and children. All people, everywhere in the world, have the right to a life of dignity. This means a life free from poverty, violence, discrimination or human rights violation. Foosteer Initiative helps people get the food they need to survive, and promotes sustainable solutions to hunger as well as defend the right of every Nigerian child and woman. In the year 2015, Foosteer Initiative improve food and nutrition security to 150 families who benefited from the monthly food stuff distribution, 20 children benefited from beverages distributions.

EDUCATING COMMUNITIES:

Foosteer Initiative helps children get back to school and fights to retain those already in school, through it educational support, which covers areas of School books, uniforms, sandals, school fees, teaching aids, and school feeding.

In Ajaokuta Community, Seventy Uniforms, Sandals and Socks were provided to children in the junior secondary school. Text books and writing Materials were also provided for two hundred primary school pupils in Ajaokuta village. A total of 278 children benefitted from Foosteer Initiative educational support.

 

In the first quarter of the year, well meaningful individuals in the steel company supported three junior secondary Children and five primary pupils, by paying their school fees and providing books and text books.

Also, the Foosteer Inititive school feeding was flagged off in ASCO Comprehensive Secondary school 1, with distribution of snacks to school students. A total of 460 children were feed in the year 2015, through FICHSD School feeding program.

 

Two (2) positive choice club were also established in two secondary school, there include; ASCSS1 Positive Choice club, and HRC Positive choice club. These clubs are established for peer education, to help build the Capacity In-School-youth (14 -24 years) on safe behaviors related to HIV and AIDS through strategic behavioral change communication and personal leadership, as well as the adoption of safer sex practices. In the year 2015, a sum total of 640 in-school youths were reached with at least three (3) minimum prevention package using the strategies of peer education, community awareness and school based approach.

Pic 1.Executives of HRC Positive Choice Club           Pic 2: ASCSS1 Club Members

IMPROVING HEALTH

Good health is a basic human right. Whether we’re providing access to clean water, HIV & AIDS education, family planning or maternity services, Foosteer Initiative helps build a healthy foundation for safety, survival and success. In 2015, Foosteer Initiative health care services involved referral services, HIV & AIDS education, sexual reproductive health education, treatment of common diseases that affect VC, payment of hospital bills, as well as provision of insecticide treated nets. 30 referrals were made, 40 women were trained on the basics of HIV&AIDS, and 640 In-school youths were equipped with information and access to sexual reproductive and maternal health and as well as basic life skills. Two Hundred Insecticide Treated nets were distributed.

 

WOMEN & GIRLS EMPOWERMENT

Women and girls make up the majority of the 1.4 billion people living in extreme poverty. At Foosteer Initiative, we are committed to bringing permanent end to poverty, hunger, lack and want — by attacking its root causes, not only its consequences. One of the root causes of poverty is women and girls' lack of control over their lives. But once empowered by education, economic opportunity or choice, a woman can be a catalyst for positive change in her community. In the year 2015, Foosteer Initiative partnership with Ajaokuta Steel Company School Board, trained and Educated one hundred and twenty (120) women and two hundred (200) girls on business and social entrepreneur. The training focused on sound financial habits for women and families, as well ass connecting business owners with the resources and information they need to succeed in a competitive market.

ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE

In order to bring about lasting change, Foosteer Initiative in the cause of the year ended 2015 partnered with government agencies, health organizations, other community and faith based organizations to support and enact policies that address the underlying causes of poverty and bring permanent positive social change.

PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT:

This refers to the psychological and social support vulnerable children and their households receive through Foosteer Initiative, they include; counseling, home visits, parties for the VC. A total number of thirty 35 VC benefitted this year.

Research and Development: For the year under review, Foosteer Initiative developed several to help boost the activities of the organization, but yet to receive response from these donor agencies.

Staff Meetings:  Weekly staff meetings were held in the year 2015 and a total number of forty-Nine staff meetings were held for the year. The aim of these meetings was to review organizational activities, set weekly targets, assign staff responsible for activities, monitoring of events and reviewing deviations from plan.

Challenges

Funds were the major challenge Foosteer Initiative encountered. It affected the number of out of school children it could enroll, the number of women and children that benefitted from nutritional, psychosocial, health and educational support services, also incomplete referrals due to clients not getting to the referred facility, thereby hindering feedback.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Empowered one hundred and twenty women and girls in skills acquisition, provided food security to one hundred and fifty families (150), provided educational materials to two hundred and seventy-eight (278) children, feed four hundred and sixty school children. Provided home service to one hundred and eighty (180) clients

SUCCESS STORIES

Three girls who dropped out of secondary school as a result of lack of school fees, got re-enrolled back to school, through the support of donor partners and Foosteer Initiative community intervention program.

CONCLUSION

As we continue to make progress in the struggle to end poverty, we hope that one day our help will no longer be needed. Until that day Foosteer Initiative for community health and social development, looks forward to a brighter future and is committed to remaining in the community however remote or difficult, where they can do the most good for more women and children.