NGO enrols 4, 232 pupils for education programmes in C’ River

Mudiaga Affe, Calabar

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Save the Children International, has enroled 4, 232 vulnerable pupils, providing for them education, health and economic support in two local government areas of Cross River State.

The State Project Director of  Save the Children International, Mr. Ime Samuel-Etukudoh, disclosed this in Calabar on Thursday when the NGO signed a Memorandum of Understanding on collaboration with the Cross River State Government to strengthen the economic base of vulnerable households.

The MoU was endorsed on behalf of the Cross River State Government by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Stella Odey, while the Country Director of Save the Children International, Mr. Ben Foot, signed on behalf of the NGO.

Samuel-Etukudoh said the pupils, who were drawn from 1, 542 households in Calabar-South and Calabar Municipal LGAs, are from homes whose parents have been affected by  the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

He said, “Our fresh enrolments are basically households affected by HIV. The new guideline is that we must focus on vulnerable homes. We have enrolled 4, 232 children from 1, 542 households and they will benefit from our educational support.

“Our strategic objectives, among others are to increase caregivers’ access to household economic-strengthening resources and to improve caring for their children. The goal is that they live longer to take care of their children.”

Samuel-Etukudoh, who stated that the organisation was working with FHI 360 and other international agencies, noted that the pupils were encouraged to know their HIV status.

Shortly before the MoU was signed, the Awards Director of SCI, Mrs. Maureen Nzeribe, said that the MoU would attract more financial commitment to the state.

In her address, Odey said the presence of the NGO had saved many lives of vulnerable children in the state in the last one year.

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from Punch Newspapers