A NEW YEAR HOPE FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN NIGERIA

INTRODUCTION

Tabitha Home is a care home for orphans and vulnerable children, committed to “Inspiring Hope for Vulnerable Children”. In accomplishing our vision and mission, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has provided us with the pathway of administering support to our beneficiaries.

This report covers the goals attained within the month of March – May 2022.

PROJECT PROGRESS

• RESIDENTIAL BENEFICIARIES

The home presently has 50 beneficiaries; 19female and 11 male children, in addition to 7 older children still benefitting from economic strengthening.

AWARDS

Tabitha Home participated with the non-government organisation, MAYEIN in celebration World Book and Copyright Day, 26^th April, 2022. Tabitha Home beneficiaries participated in the Poetry and Speed Authoring competition. One of Tabitha Home children, Janet emerged the winner for Poetry whereas another child beneficiary, Naomi won the 3^rd Position.   

Also, Tabitha Home beneficiaries emerged winners in Dancing Competition and Game Activities during the Children’s Day Celebration organized by Association of Orphanages and Home Operators in Nigeria (Oyo State Chapter) 0n 28^th May, 2022. 

NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT

The children were given three square meals with mid-day snacks. The management ensured that each of the meal was well balanced with all needed nutrients for the children. This is accompanied with vitamins and fruits to aid adequate growth and development.

BUILDING PROJECT

April 2022, Tabitha Home moved to the permanent building; this is an amazing feat as it gives the opportunity to take in more children and also to render all support in a conducive and learning enabling environment.

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT

Tabitha Home children completed their 2^nd term in the month of April 2022. Their results in general ranged from above average to excellent, however, there’s room for improvement in specific subjects.

The children resumed the third term in the month of May 2022. Provisions have been made for educational materials, school supplies and transportation. For further improvement, the children have access to after school teachers to improve in subjects which has been noted to be challenging for them. Also, Sundays to Thursdays, by 7:30-9:00 the children hold their prep study under the supervision of staff members.

As part of their educative activities, the Reading Culture was active through-out the month as the children finished the review book Flawed by Modupe Adeyemo-Oyetade and commenced on The Horse in the Storm by same author.

PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT

The children are under key workers (staff members professional Social Workers and Psychologists) who hold one on one therapeutic sessions for the children as well as engage in group and art therapy session through the in-house projects; Kids’ Club and Pep Talk.

SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Throughout the month of April, the children were on 2^nd term holiday; hence, they were fully involved on their skill acquisition programme which includes; Craft Plus, Knitting Classes, ITC class, Laundry and Hair Making.

The children under Laundry and Hair Making have graduated from the program.

PROTECTION SERVICE

The management ensures strict implementation of Child Right Law, Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Health and Safety Policy to protect the children, staff and visitors.  

MEDICAL SUPPORT

First Aid Box has restocked in the month of May and it serves as an immediate help for medical cases. Tabitha Home also works with professionals at Chilad Pharmacy, Primary HealthCare Center, Adeoyo, University College Hospital and De Vine Hospital for treatment or emergency cases. However, during their period of this report, there was no casualty.

REHABILITATION SERVICE

Activities of the home like pep talk, kids club, reading culture, key working are forms of art and group therapy to transform and give the children the opportunity to explore their thoughts, feelings and patterns of behavior. These sessions discuss trending topics that inspire the children to share their opinions, and also share and work on their strengths and weaknesses.

BOYS TO MEN TRANSITION PROGRAMME

Inspired by the need to engage boys in developmental activities, the Boys to Men Transition Programme kicked off in the month of April. This is a 16 weeks mentorship programme for Tabitha Home male children with the aim of advancing their skills, enlightening them on the need to give everyone despite the gender an opportunity to strive as well as empowering them psychologically.

NIGERIAN CHILDREN’S DAY PARTY

Tabitha Home had a party for the children in celebration of Nigerian Children’s Day. With the support of our donors, the children celebrated with a large cake, food and drinks and every child got a party pack with variety of gifts in the pack, there was dancing, competitions, games, presentations and lots more, the children had a lot to eat and drink.

• NON-RESIDENTIAL BENEFICIARIES

COMMUNITY KIDS CLUB

Tabitha Home takes the project Community Kids Club to different community each year. For the year 2022, the project was brought to Wuraola Esan community, using People’s Primary school Adeoyo. The project, was on for three Fridays in the month of March, it started on Friday 11^th of March and ended Friday 25^th of March 2022, each week with topics and activities to empower the 79 community children with life and literacy skills among others.

The project was aimed at giving children within inner communities access to socio-educational activities and art therapy; thus, enhancing their personal development and total wellbeing.

The project rounded off with the presentation of gifts to the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd, position of the Essay competition and also to the most active in each platoon, neatest and most punctual.

A PAD A GIRL (MENSTRUAL HYGIENE DAY)

Tabitha Home partnered with its project organisation Help Initiative as well as OVIWCE and Alliance Francaise to execute the project tagged A Pad A Girl, in the month of May 2022, Help Initiative commenced the second edition of A Pad A Girl, Tabitha home, staffs and girls within the age of 9-24 were actively involved in the pre-planning and the execution of the opening event on the 28^th of May 2022. The project empowered 110 girls with life skills through capacity building on the topics; FGM, Sexual Reproductive Health and Menstrual Hygiene, also a training on how to make Reusable pads for sustainability or incase of poor accessibility due to financial instability. The participants received a pack of menstrual kit.

CONCLUSION

Tabitha Home Team extends our heartfelt gratitude as your donations supported the realization of set goals. We hope to continue to work in partnership with you as we proffer social intervention to the social problems affecting the lives of children; thereby inspiring their hope through projects that hone their potentials and skills. This, we envision will bring about National Development.  

Links:

• Welcome to Tabitha Home

INTRODUCTION

This report of Tabitha Maison Foundation (Tabitha Home) covers the goals attained within the month of October 2021 – February 2022. These projects were in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and were executed effectively because of your immense support.

We are excited to inform you that Tabitha Home recieved an award 2021 Oyo State 100 Most Influential under the category of NGO/ORPHANAGE HOMES. 

PROJECT PROGRESS

• RESIDENTIAL BENEFICIARIES PROJECTS

NEW INTAKE

From the month of October to December, 2021, Six (6) children were placed newly in Tabitha Home with the need for shelter, protection, education, rehabilitation and nutrition. They have presently adapted to the shelter facility, participating actively in all in-house projects of Tabitha Home and the tracking of their progressive reports has shown improvement in all aspects.

The residential beneficiaries are currently 50.

EDUCATION  

The 44 residential beneficiaries of Tabitha Home in Secondary School, Primary and Nursery School kicked off a new school term (2^nd Term) in January 2022. The back to school project was successful.

Also, 3 of the residential beneficiaries got admitted into University of Ilorin and Tai Solarin University of Education respectively. This has summed up the number of the residential beneficiaries in the higher institution to be 6.

IN-HOUSE PROJECTS

The in-house projects which were in support of the total development of the children were functional on a weekly basis. The platform serves as group therapy and it is guided with monthly themes which inspires the activities of each project. The projects include;

• Kids’ Club
• Craft Plus
• Pep Talk
• Reading Culture Book Club
• Math Clinic
• Pass It On Project
• Rising to Responsibilities

• Non- Residential/Community Projects.

ARTS, DANCE AND MUSIC FESTIVAL

As a means of social integration and to promote Arts Therapy in collaboration with Alliance Francaise Ibadan, Tabitha Home hosted 5 orphanages in Ibadan and the entire community on December 12, 2022. The event tagged: Arts, Dance and Music Festival was a social platform for children in orphanages to express themselves in activities as the event name entails.

COMMUNITY SENSITIZATION AND SCHOOL ADVOCACY ON FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM) 

Community Sensitization

The cause to totally eliminate the harmful practice of Female Genital Mutilation is undying and inspired by 2022 theme of International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM “Invest Don’t Rest”, Tabitha Home in partnership with Help Initiative reached out to sensitize the major caregivers of the grass-root on 5^th February, 2022. The women from the inner communities of Ibadan, Nigeria were hosted in an interactive sensitization session.

The pre-survey showed that majority of the women believed that FGM was based on religion and culture; hence, they believed it was acceptable. However, after the session which provoked sensitive questions on the traditional belief of FGM and its harmful effects, the post survey revealed that a significant number had an input towards abolishing FGM and were willing to advocate against it.

During a follow-up, it was recorded that the women of Elewura community of Ibadan, had taken up the cause to advocate through their community stakeholders’ meeting.  

School Advocacy

Oke-Ado Baptist Comprehensive High School, Ibadan and Oke-Bola Comprehensive High School, Ibadan were paid an advocacy visit on 9^th February, 2022 and 11^th February, 2022 respectively. The session was an interactive session whereby the students were asked questions to understand their background knowledge on FGM. The students were intimated on harmful effect of FGM and their power as the future against FGM which was to inform their communities through their families, friends, social or religious platform.

19 DAYS OF ACTIVISM

Using the medium of School Advocacy and Social Media, Tabitha Home involved in a 19 Days Activism to advocate for children; educating children, parents, school community and the community at large on the different aspects of Child Abuse and practical ways of bringing it to an end.

The 19 Days of Activism was to mark the celebration of the Universal Children’s Day. Below is the calendar of activities carried out;  

1/11/2021

Prevention of Children in Armed Conflict.

A quote from Landon Pearson

2/11/2021

Prevention of Child Sexual Violence and Abuse

A video of Tabitha Home children speaking on the theme

3/11/2021

Prevention of Bullying

A video of Tabitha Home children speaking on bullying.

4/11/2021

Prevention of Child Neglect

A video of Tabitha Home children speaking on Child Neglect

5/11/2021

Prevention of Child Labour

A drawing depicting child labour, showing the negative impact on the child was captured by a Tabitha Home’s child.

6/11/2021

Prevention of Corporal Punishment

Intimating the online communities on the effects of Corporal Punishment on children.

7/11/2021

Prevention of Sale of Children

Our online community was asked to vote between poverty or ignorance as the cause for sale of children. After close of voting, they were informed through a caption, neither reasons are enough to justify the sale of children.

8/11/2021

Prevention of Child Prostitution

A written tutorial on how to help children at risk of child prostitution.

9/11/2021

Prevention of Child CSAM

Advocacy visit to Victory Primary School and Victory High school. The children’s sensitive questions on the theme were responded to.

10/11/2021

Prevention of Child Trafficking

Sensitizing the online community on Child Trafficking.

11/11/2021

Prevention of Child Sex Tourism

Written tutorials on how children are targeted for child sex tourism, especially in destinations with high tourist visits.

12/11/2021

Prevention of Harmful Traditional Practices

A video educating people on harmful practices with focus on female genital mutilation.

13/11/2021

Prevention of Street Children

To educate on the reality of street children, A child, A story feature of a Tabitha Home child was shared. The personal details of the child was protected.

14/11/2021

Prevention of Discrimination based on health grounds

An encouraging declaration of our stand against discrimination based on health grounds was posted.

15/11/2021

Prevention of Addiction and Substance Abuse

A clip from one of the Nigerian TV station (TVC news) reporting on abuse of codeine by youths in the country was posted in order to sensitize the online community on the dangers of drugs.

16/11/2021

Prevention of Malnutrition

A quote from Earle Grey was posted on the page; this is to encourage people in giving balanced nutrition to their wards.

17/11/2021

Prevention of Dangers of ICTs

A video explaining the dangers of unhealthy use of ICT and means to safeguard ourselves.

18/11/2021

Prevention of Abduction

An encouraging message targeted at parents on the importance of giving their wards safety tips.

19/11/2021

Prevention of Juvenile Justice and Children deprived of Liberty

A School Advocacy Outreach to Rochas Foundation College, Ibadan with over 600 students. For an interactive session on Juvenile delinquency and suggested ways to tackle injustice in the juvenile justice system.

20/11/2021

Universal Children’s Day

IG LIVE tagged: ‘I am a Child, I am the future’. 

CONCLUSION

We acknowledge your strong support as it helped us attain and sustain the aim of giving children access to all deserving rights and needs. We hope to continue to work with you as we stay committed to building a sustainable structure that transforms the lives of the children and gives them an inspiring hope. We would be glad if this worthy cause motivates you to refer us to people.

Links:

• Instagram page with details of projects