There are an estimated 1.3 million children in Nigeria. Majority of them lack access to education, medical care and psychosocial support and many die of isolation, neglect and malnutrition. This project will equip a drop in center that will provide psychosocial support for the children, ensure their access to education and medical services while coordinating a support group for parents and employment through skills training for unemployed mothers.
There is an estimated 1.3 million children with disabilities in Nigeria, many of whom will never go to school (especially those with cerebral palsy and other learning disabilities), drop out of school, do not have access to medical services and often times die of isolation and malnutrition. Most mothers of these children are unemployed and often will resort to either abandoning the child to source for employment and in very few cases stay home with the child. Most do not also adhere to treatment
This project will equip a drop in center and establish a referral system with hospitals and primary health centers to ensure that children thus affected receive psycho-social support, monitor the use of medication and also create a support system to ensure the mental health of parents and caregivers who are unemployed.
In the long term, the project will ensure that children with special needs survive and thrive and as such reduce child mortality rate while ensuring that children with special needs fulfill their potentials irrespective of the disability types. It will improve parental attitude towards care of children with special needs. It will reduce societal stereotypes against children with special needs while promoting their rights to life, education and health.
