Street Wise, Street Weary

Association for the care of children and young persons in need. September fundraising drive: Sally Udoma and her daughter, Mayen, took part in a fund-raising Charity Cycle Ride from London to Paris, to raise funds for Child Life-Line. Their supporters raised the sum of over N1m for CLL. Their courage in tackling the roughly 300 miles journey should inspire more of us to make the efforts needed to raise the funds we need to care for our street children in the New Year 2012.

Self-sustainability: Child Life Line has always sought ways to sustain itself, for example with the production by the children of finished batik materials, basketry production, and even fish farming. Now Citibank’s Corporate Affairs Department has funded an environmental project, donating 1020 fingerlings to be reared in the fish tank at the Child Life-Line Reception Centre, Gbagada. Most of the members of the Citibank Corporate Affairs, led by their CEO Mrs. Funmi Ogunlesi, visited the Reception Centre on the 28th October, 2011, to celebrate the ‘new look’ of the compound, which they had caused to be ‘greened’ under their environmental project.

Marion Sikuade, the Founder of CLL and Dr. Jytte Oladapo, Executive Member assisted in the planting of a tree to mark the day. Some of the children entertained the visitors with dancing and two of the older boys shared their experiences on the street to them.

UAC Visit to Ibeshe: We are happy to report that UAC has generously donated five new computers, with UPS and monitor to the Child Life-Line Centre, Ibeshe, Ikorodu. This will greatly assist our program to make the children computer literate. AELEX Law Firm visit to Gbagada: The visit of the Representatives of AELEX Law Firm to the reception centre afforded the members with a whole new view on the plight of street children. The lawyers were astonished at the number of children sleeping on the street and their questioning of the children revealed some astounding secrets of how these children are being used by the police and other unscrupulous adults. AELEX members promised to help CLL get sponsors and funding from Lagos State government with a fact file from CLL.

Employment of a new staff at Ibeshe

Mrs. Adetutu Otuneye assumed duties as Matron at the CLL Centre, Ibeshe, on the 1 st of November, 2011. She combines the roles of mother to the children and a firm disciplinarian and very quickly settled down with the children. She is assisted by an Assistant Welfare Officer, Mr. Job David, who is actually a graduate of Child Life Line.

Open Day at Ibeshe: On the 18th of December 2011, CLL organised an ‘open day’ to foster the reunion between the families and children who are in CLL’s care; to let both children and parents realise that the family must always play a crucial role in their lives even though CLL has temporarily taken over the care of the child. Our core objective is still to reunite children with their families.

Success story so far: We congratulate Godswill Onuoha who has been offered admission into the University of Lagos for his academic record and performance, to study computer science.

We have been able to placed four children in homes in 2011. They are:- Victoria Okon at Erobodo house, Ijebu-Ode. Emmanuel Ife reunited with parents at Ekiti. Seun Moses reunited with parents at Ibadan and Mercy Henry at Freedom Foundation.

SERVICES OFFERED AT THE RECEPTION CENTRE

Children attending the centre are given a daily meal, can use the showers and washing facilities and are given clean clothes if they are needed. They are given consultations and counselling by the welfare officers and taught basic education and life skills. Literacy and numeracy are regarded as primary life-skills to be taught since the majority of the children attending the centre have never been to school, or have dropped out of school without acquiring literacy. The staff are also poised to conduct prevention and health promotion work using interactive teaching methods, multi-media and lectures from specialists. We are in partnership with the medical NGO AVSI for referral of children in need of medical check-up and treatment and have already referred a number of children to them.

IN KIND DONATIONS:-We wish to thank the parents and children of the American International School,Victoria Island Lagos for their generous donation of food items, and Mrs. Garbi from AWC donated clothes and food items for both boys and girls at Gbagada.

Networking with other NGOs and Govt bodies: Child Life-Line is a member of the Lagos CPN (Child Protection Network), in conjunction with Unicef, Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, for sensitization on the rights of the child.

Partners: The following organisations from time to time have partnered with Child Life-Line and we are very indebted to them for their assistance: AWC, AELEX law firm, AIS Lagos, Kinderpostzegels, Ford Foundation, LCC, Fair Life NGO, and Schneider Electric.

PHOTOSPEAK ACTIVITIES IN 2011.

‘1’ below: Marion Sikuade welcomes Aelex representatives to the Administration Building, Ibeshe.

‘2’ below: Preparing the boys’ Art exhibition in the library of the Administration Building at Ibeshe.