Oando Foundation (OF) in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Emergency Crisis Response (ECR) has begun a remarkable initiative to transition 60,000 internally displaced out-of-school children in Northern Nigeria from informal to mainstream education institutions by 2018.
These internally displaced children will be transitioned into 11 Oando Foundation- adopted schools in Adamawa and Bauchi states. This endeavour resonates strongly with the 2016 International Day of the African Child theme “Conflict and Crisis in Africa: Protecting all Children’s Rights”.
Nigeria currently has the largest number of out-of-school children in the world; 10.5 million (UNESCO EFA Report 2014 / 2015). As part of steps earmarked to kick start this initiative, Oando Foundation visited IDP camps in Bauchi and Adamawa states.
The Commissioner for Education, Adamawa State, Kaletapwa George Farauta, Executive Chairman, Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Hassan Mohamed Gabdo Toungo and Executive Chairman, Bauchi (SUBEB), Prof. Ibrahim Yero amongst others were in attendance.
The foundation will facilitate the placement of these same children in 11 of its adopted schools in these states. The schools have been supplied teaching and learning aids by Oando Foundation to improve the quality of teaching and ultimately increase learning outcomes for children.
Meanwhile, government has donated 200 wheelchairs to the Nigerian Red Cross Society for outward distribution to the incapacitated victims of Boko Haram at the Internally-Displaced Persons camps.
The Taiwanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Morgan Chao said they were donated by the Amitofo Charity Foundation in Taiwan to meet the needs of those who cannot afford them, especially those from the grassroots in Nigeria. They consist of 150 wheelchairs for adults and 50 for children.
He said Taiwan has made similar donations and rendered humanitarian assistance to countries such as Haiti, when it suffered tremor, Nepal when it suffered earthquake and Japan, when it suffered tsunami.
