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…rehabilitated 8,000 in A’Ibom
JOE EFFIONG, UYO
A non governmental organization, Child’s Rights and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN), based in Eket Akwa Ibom State, has said it has reintegrated and reconciled over 8,000 vulnerable children back into the society since inception in 2003 in state.
The President/Chief Executive Officer of the Centre, Mr Sam Ikpe Itauma who disclosed this at a press briefing to mark her 20th Anniversary Celebration of the organisation in Eket on Sunday, however lamented the fate of the vulnerable children labeled witch and stigmatised.
He said; ‘Our efforts have rehabilitated more than 8,000 vulnerable children who have either accessed support from us or rescued from our CRARN facility.”
Itauma noted that about 15 of those children had graduated from varoous universities, 20 graduated from colleges of education and 25 of them are still in different tertiary institutions in the state.
He said has been able to put six structures in it’s facility while an academy that would take care of the basic education needs of the children has already been established and called for the support of local and foreign donors to expand existing facilities.
Hr called for support from public spirited individuals, NGOs to better the lots of the vulnerable in the society and commended the Department of State Security for being instrumental for the protection of vulnerable children in the state.
The CRARN president said that the centre was partnering with different government security agencies to improve the protection of the children and called on the media
to help raise awareness on their plight.
He maintained that the top priority of vulnerable children was education, adding that the best prospect of the children was educating them
He said though the children are still faced with the challenges of abuses, torture and sometimes death in the hands of people, he still expressed appreciation to the state government for their support and wise counsel.
He said the celebration would help to draw the attention of the different segments of state government to the challenges and prospects of the vulnerable children and the centre.
