LEADERSHIP, May 17, 2010

HIV Prevalence Is High In Varsities-NGO Coordinator

 Education as a vaccine against AIDS (EVA), a non-governmental organization involved in campaigns on HIV/AIDS awareness programs, has said that the universities in the country were experiencing an increasing rate of infections of HIV.

 Statistics conducted recently showed that prevalence is as high as twenty percent among young girls in tertiary institutions in some state. Lack of sexual health information and services make young people vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancy.

 Facilitator of EVA, Fadekemi Agarau, noted that emphasis has been laid on educating the young people at the secondary level but not enough is being made to the vulnerable group at the tertiary level. She stressed ‘the need to expand young people access to HIV information and counseling especially in our tertiary institutions of learning’.

 Speaking at the 10^th anniversary celebration of EVA, recently in Abuja Mrs. Agarau lamented, ‘a lot of intervention targeting young people are not basically taken to the higher institutions but the truth is that they are having more sex since they feel they have more freedom after having passed through the secondary schools’

 The executive director confirm that in a survey of four schools made of Universities, Polytechnics, College of Education, girls were undertaken by her organization and it was found out that majority of young girls feel that they are not at risk since they usually have single sexual partners and do not use protection since they trust their partners.

 Surprisingly, the male in the study were more realistic, confessing that they have multiple sexual partners without using condoms.

 Further reports in 2007, show that, in a study on the perception among university students in Osun state, forty percent of the respondents reported engaging in unprotected sex in the month prior to being survey. Only fifteen percent students surveyed perceived they are at moderate-to-high risk infection. Heath investigator categorized seven percent of students surveyed as having a high risk of HIV infection and a mere twenty three percent as having a low risk of contracting the virus.

 Mrs. Agarau, advised government on the need to implement more sexual orientation programs aim at attitudinal change.

Daily Trust, May 3, 2010.

Youths group celebrate 10^th anniversary

By Ben Atonko

Youths belonging to a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) ‘Education as a Vaccine’ at the weekend celebrated its 10^th years of existence.

The popularly called EVA started its celebration with one-day roundtable discussion, which reviewed the organization’s past achievements in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and in the state of the federation.

The gathering discussed the strengths, weakness of the organization in the past years and generated ideals for improvement.

There were presentations highlighting programs and lesson learnt from the activities of the NGO over the decades.

Speaking during the meeting, EVA’s Executive Director, Mrs. Fadekemi Agarau said the NGO had uncovered a lot about youths sexuality and reproductive health.

According to her, Nigeria’s development, is compromised by sexual reproductive health issues afflicting the youths, adding that lack of sexual information and services make young people vulnerable to sexual transmitted infection (STIs) and unintended pregnancy.

Mrs. Agarau maintained that over 1.3 million unintended pregnancies occur annually in Nigeria and well over half of these pregnancies result in abortion.

Participant were drown from government organizations, including the Nigeria Institute of Human Virology, National Action committee on AIDS (NACA), Society for Family Health (SFH), as well as sister NGOs and Media.

Sunday Trust, March 7, 2010

As We Celebrate Women’s Day

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day. March 8^th has been set aside to celebrate womanhood and to identify the problems women face.

Every year, thousands of women all over the world gather to celebrate womanhood and address various problems affecting them, such as gender inequality, poverty, and early marriages and also issues relating to their sexual reproductive health and rights.

In Nigeria, women’s rights have been infringed upon in various ways. Young women and girls are particularly vulnerable. For example, in some parts of Nigeria, girls are still being denied formal education because it is regarded as a waste of time and resources, while the male child is allowed to attain formal education. This singular act shows gender inequality, even though it is stated in the 2003 Child’s Rights Act (CRA) that every child has the right to education irrespective of their sex.

The Nigeria constitution and Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act buttresses the right of every child to education irrespective of gender. There are lots of cases where young girls below the age of 18 are handed over for marriage, mostly against their will, and mostly to far older men. This is because they are regarded as source of income from suitors to their families.

Imagine a young teenage girl being given out for marriage and eventually getting pregnant; at this stage the child is not emotionally or psychologically ready for motherhood. In many cases complications such as vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) arise and sometimes even death.  There are also cases of child labour and girl trafficking, where girls are used as sex workers, and a high prevalence of FGM (female genital mutilation), also referred to as female circumcision.  Nigeria has the highest number of FGM cases in the world.  All of these issues impede the growth of the nation and the world at large.

Women of the world, irrespective of their race or colour, deserve equal rights and the opportunity to make a difference in our world today.  Full access to education must be prioritised for young girls and women.  These will prevent child marriages and many other sexual and reproductive health consequences that arise as a result of deprived rights.

We at the Youth Advocates Group (YAG) hope that this year, significant progress will be made in the fight for women’s rights.

Tope Fashola is of the Youth Advocates Group, Abuja,  FCT

The Nation, December 14, 2009

Helping Nasarawa Orphans
By Johnny Danjuma

For some, it is sometimes difficult to feel the impact of journalists. But in Nasarawa State, things are a bit different. The people there have clearly recognized the impact of The Nation reporter Evelyn Osagie whose unceasing reports on the plight of the less-privileged in the state are spurring other people into action. Orphaned children, for instance, face huge challenges, but hardly does anyone look their way.

During the last Children’s Day Celebration, some children whose parents died due to HIV/AIDS related illnesses protested inside the stadium in Lafia, the state capital, seeking to draw attention to their plight. Some of them carried placards reading: "How free is free education"; "We are the heroes of tomorrow, Please remember us"; "Is education actually my right?"; "What must I do to access free education"?; "Is education actually the right of every child in Nigeria"?, and "My future depends on education".

The Coordinator of Education as a Vaccine Against AIDS (EVA), an NGO under the supervision of Mr. Adams Saleh helped to organise the children’s protest.

Osagie’s stories set the ball rolling. She recently emerged the best Features Reporter on HIV/AIDS (Print Category) in the Red Ribbon Awards 2009 organised by Journalists Against Aids (JAAIDS) Nigeria. She has consistently visited Nasarawa State over the issue of the orphaned children.

Though her reports understandably drew anger and condemnation on the part of the state government, they have helped in no small measure in sending some of these children back to school. Some kindhearted Nigerians who read the stories rose up to the occasion and were able to help some of these children through donations. Some took charge of the children directly. Over 10 children are now known to have returned to school.

Spurred by Osagie’s efforts, Saleh through his organisation has not relented in getting help for some of these children even though he too faces enormous odds. His focus is educating the kids. And in this, he has succeeded in Wamba and Akwanga areas of the state, and now turns his attention to two other communities namely, Chesu in Wamba Local Government area and Angwan Tagwaye in Akwanga council area.

EVA’s efforts have impressed the chief of Angwan Tagwaye, Kasimu Kpobe. When Saleh and his team arrived there recently in continuation of their work, the elderly community leader flung his doors wide open. He not only received them but also promised to work with the organisation. EVA has promised to train 20 volunteers in the community for three days to help them become advocates and then meet stakeholders to solicit support for these groups of vulnerable children.

"We receive you with both hands and are wiling to work with you to achieve success," the chief said.

He described his community as lucky to have such organisation and immediately asked some of the community members that had gathered during the occasion to volunteer themselves immediately for the service.

After training the 20 volunteers in the communities, 15 orphans will also be trained on how to get help for themselves rather than sit and wait for manna from heaven that may never come.

Saleh who spoke with Newsextra shortly after the meeting with the community people explained that the aim is to give this category of children access to school, adding that the Universal Basic Education which is supposed to take care of free education is unfortunately not leaving up to that responsibility.

In this wise, he said it is better to work with community leaders, caregivers and the orphans so that they will be able to target policymakers themselves who will then make policies that will address their needs.

On the success recorded since the beginning of the programme, Saleh said that about 10 of the children have been able to get sponsorships, as so many people from Lagos and Abuja have given them support.

He, however, lamented that despite the intervention of outsiders nobody from within the state has responded to the cries of these children. He hoped that with the ongoing enlightenment and advocacy, people from the state will be able to come out and help their own people in 2010 so that in the new calendar year, more children must have gotten support to go back to school.

Saleh commended our paper’s efforts, saying the paper was helping in bringing succour to children facing peculiar challenges.

"The Nation newspaper has been the major pivot point that makes this support come this far and we hope to work with them again so that they will be able to give us more coverage so that more people will hear about the problem and come out with support," he said. "The help we got through The Nation is not only within this country alone as many people also read it abroad and contributed also".

Though it has been difficult, Adams believes that with time, more people will become aware of the problems which these children face and come to their aid.

The position of the state Ministry for Women Affairs on the plight of the children remains unclear. Repeated calls by our correspondent at the ministry in this respect have yielded no fruits. The EVA coordinator said there has not been any form of support so far from the ministry.

As for reporters and their efforts, things look a bit better.

The Nation, September 13, 2009
Nasarawa Orphans: Writers to the Rescue
By Evelyn Osagie

In July, The Nation published stories of the pathetic state of orphans in Nasarawa Sate.  Ever since, Nigerians, particularly the literary community, have continued to search out ways to address the plight of these children, who have lost either a parent or two.  Some members of the Nigerian literati have swung into action to give respite to some of the orphans.  Evelyn Osagie reports.

Patience Monday (16) is a young girl with prospects from Sisinbaki, Nasarawa State.  But she has lost her father and her mother has abandoned her and her five siblings with her father’s brother.  It had really been difficult for her guardian to pay their school fees as he also has his family to think of.  And so, it has affected her schooling as she lacked some necessary materials that would aid her studies, such as books, among others.  Her uniform is torn, yet, it is better than having none at all.  But for her love for school, she would have lost interest.  Her principal, Danjuma Yaro, told The Nation that she has the willingness to learn but without aids to learning, little or nothing can be done.

“Although she is an average student, if she has the necessary materials, I am sure she will perform better.  She is one kid that has the willingness to learn but what can the poor girl do without having the right materials?” Yaro noted.

Emmanuel Joseph is another orphan in the same village.  Although he has lost his father, his story is slightly different from that of Monday’s.  His mother is Mrs. Ladi Wazi Joseph, the widow who adopted three orphans in addition to her six children.  Lately, things have not been so easy.  Bringing up nine kids alone is not an easy task.  But Mrs. Joseph has not lost faith; she still manages to combine her teaching job with petty trading, hoping that one day, help will come.

Patience, Emmanuel and some of their counterparts now have a cause to smile.  By the time school resumes for 2009/2010, they will not need to worry about school fees, books, uniform or sandals as all that has been taken care of by some members of the Nigerian literati.

After reading about the pitiable state of orphans, particularly in Nasarawa State, Nigerian literati are taking steps to salvage the future of the orphans in the state, in particular those in the stories.

It would be recalled that articles on the state of orphans in Nasarawa State formed the ‘Focus’ pages of Sunday and Wednesday’s ‘Life Magazine’, July 26 and 29 of The Nation.  On those days, The Nation reported the growing number of orphans in the state is beginning to alarm stakeholders in the state: the sorry state of some of the kids who are forced to quit school because they have no means of sponsorship.  It was also reported that, based on the desire to be educated, some of the orphans do menial jobs to be able to sponsor themselves in school.

Although the government of Nasarawa is silent about the issue, writers, among whom are the national president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr. Wale Okediran, the current chairman of the Board of National Commission for Colleges of Education, Dr. Jerry Agada, Alh. Yahaya Dagana, (FCAI), the Ratibin Nupe, Dr. Seyi Adiguri, the chairman of Abuja ANA, among others, have given some of the orphans in Nasarawa scholarship for this year’s academic session.

Speaking to The Nation in Abuja, the stories, Okediran said, inspired the gesture.  He described the rise in the number of orphans, particularly in the HIV-prevalent states, as alarming, saying their condition of living is also nothing to write home about.

“Every Nigerian should be moved by the situation of the orphans.  Firstly, as a medical doctor, I have always empathized with those who have lost their parents.  Secondly, I believe in the fact that we should be our brother’s keeper.  It can happen to anybody.  We need to be more sensitive to their needs.”

The Nation gathered that a total of N90,750 was raised on behalf of the kids, covering school fees, books for the three terms, uniforms and sandals for each child.  It was also gathered that seven kids featured in the story of July 26, out of the lot, got sponsorships by the writers.  Okediran is said to have sponsored three children – one in primary, junior and senior secondary respectively.  Others such as Agada, Dagana, Adigun, and a journalist, who claimed anonymity, sponsored a kid in secondary each.  The lucky kids include Judith Sule (SS1), GSS, UBBE, Akwanga; Zainab Umbugadu, (SSi), GSS, UBBE, Akwanga; Asabe Shuaibu, GSS, Chessu; Phoebe David, Central Primary School, Akwanga; Shedrach Sabo, (JSS3) Government Junior Secondary School, Akwanga Central; Emmanuel Joseph (SS1) Government Science School  (GSS), Chessu.

The kids were all excited when The Nation met them and informed them of their fate.  Each said he was happy that they no longer need to worry about school fees and books, saying they were grateful to those who have made it possible.  When asked if they were not going to disappoint the donor, “we will not by God’s grace”, they said.  Mrs. Joseph also expressed her gratitude towards the benefactors.  Two of their wards got the sponsorship.  One of them is her biological son and the other an adopted daughter.  Asabe Shuaibu in JSS1.  “I cannot thank them enough.  All I can say is that may God reward them accordingly and may they find help in time of need”, she said.

As pen-pushers, Okediran said, writers have a role to play in seeing the orphans are encouraged towards attaining some level of academic qualification.

“There is nothing as good as putting smiles on someone’s face, especially on those of the downtrodden.  By experience, you find that some of these kids are intelligent and willing to go to school.  With no help from coming some of them end up being street kids and menace to the society.  As writers, we have a role to play in making sure that these kids in our society are encouraged into having some level of educational qualification.  And nobody can do it except you and me.  As the president of ANA, I figured I should lead by example.”

He praised the efforts of The Nation, adding that the government at all levels should make their case a priority.   “I thank the effort of The Nation.  They are keeping their word in upholding the cause of the common man.  And I believe many are inspired too.  The government at all levels, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Youth Development, in particular have to make their case an important one.  They should be given grants to support them.”

Like Okediran, Dagana said the plight of the kids was what inspired him.  “I felt so sorry for them and the fact that most of them are willing to learn is a quality a writer cannot help but notice.”

As a titled chief and the special assistant to the governor, research and documentation, he enthused that government as well as the traditional rulers have a role to play in ensuring a better future for the kids.

He said: “we all have an obligation to the orphans and widows in our society.  The government should make policies that will help cater for the orphans.  But it is not the role of government and traditional rulers alone.  We all have a role to play.  Our tradition and religion demands it of us, and what better time than now for us to show love to the children.”

On his part, Agada, a former Minister of State for Education and vice-president of ANA, told The Nation that what is happening in Nasarawa is not a strange phenomenon as there are many of them in Benue State.  He said the orphans are many that he had to take some of them into his house to be able to add value to their lives.

Agada said the public spirit exhibited by The Nation is what has inspired is being part of those who have contributed to the schooling of the orphans. “Anyone with human feeling will want to be part of what you people are doing.  One cannot imagine the pain they are going through.  And anyway one can help put a smile on their faces; I think one should just go ahead and do it.  As it is, I have them in my house also.”

Agada, who was discharged from hospital a few hours before this reporter met him, called on the government to look into the plight of the orphans by setting policies that will help their situation.  “The government cannot do it all alone.  We, as individuals, also need to lend a hand.  I know it is not easy, especially with the situation of things in the country, but if I can help one person and you do the same, before long a lot of kids will be out of the street.  And of course, we will have a better society.”

Adigun also expressed sympathy towards the children, saying he was also moved by the stories of the children.  He also noted that their tale of woe is not different to that of others like them scattered all over.

While Okediran charged other writers to be part of what the move to salvage the future of the orphans, Adigun enjoined others to look around them, that there are many like them everywhere.  “It doesn’t have to be in Nasarawa or Benue, there are many like that everywhere.  Extending a hand towards them will not harm anyone; in fact, it will help society in raising future leaders who will also have the mind of helping their neighbours”, said Adigun.

The money was handed over to the Nasarawa project coordinator for Education as a Vaccine Against AIDS (EVA), Adams Saleh, who in turn commissioned a monitoring team to monitor the progress of the children and give feedback to the donors.

“Among other activities of our organization, we monitor the orphans and see to it that they are doing well in school on behalf of donors by involving their teachers in their case.  We also give them feedback on the progress of the children academically.”

Aside of the seven kids that got scholarships, others such as Zainal Magaji (JSS2)GSS, Chessu; Maimuna Suleiman (SS 2) Government Science School, Lafia; Ishiaku Mohammed (SS1) GSS, Akwanga, Innocent Gambo, Taro Jamu and his brother, Francis, among others, are still in dire need of help.

However, other writers have signified their interest in being part of the project, saying that after being inspired by the president and his vice at ANA, in the near future, they will do likewise.

Daily Trust, June 1, 2009
Orphans Stage Rally on Children’s Day

Orphans, who appeared to be troubled about their future Wednesday, staged a rally at Eagle Square, Abuja to attract government attention to their plight.

The troubled children came with placards that read thus: Have orphans right to education?” ;“How free is free education, when we pay levies?” ; “Is education free with high costs for books and uniforms?”

The children, who have lost their parents, said they depended on charity to go to school and would want government to take a more critical look at their plights.

Programme Coordinator of Advocacy Campaigns, Education as a Vaccine Against AIDS (EVA), Mr. Tope Fashola, told newsmen that the rally at the Eagle Square was part of a solidarity rally held simultaneously in Makurdi (Benue State) and Lafia (Nasarawa State).

According to the coordinator, the show was organized “to declare our request openly to government and policy-makers for an all-inclusive act that would give the opportunity to less privileged children to gain access to quality basic education as stipulated by the UBE (Universal Basic Education) Act.”

He said since the advent of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa in 1981, there have been dramatic increases in the number of orphans, with steady decline in school enrollment.

EVA, a non-governmental organisation founded nine years ago, seeks to establish systems and structures that will provide opportunities for the youth to make responsible decisions concerning their development.

Sunday Trust, June 8, 2008
FCT Teachers Trained on Family Life

A workshop on Family Life for HIV/AIDS Education (FLHE) tagged Learning About Living ended last Thursday in Abuja with participants promising to fully implement what they learnt.

One of the facilitators of the programme, executive director of Education as a Vaccine Against AIDS (EVA), Fadekemi Akinfaderin, said “the federal government developed the FLHE curriculum on an accepted term for Sexuality Education in school, Now OneWorld UK (UK), Butterfly Works (Netherlands) and Action Health Incorporated came and developed an electronic version of it in CD which has interactive games and cartoons for teachers to teach this programme in the classroom.  That CD has been developed and we’re now training teachers on how to use the CD.”

Mrs Nancy Moral, who represented the Education Secretariat of the FCT Administration (FCTA), described being part of the workshop as “quite a good experience” that would help teachers implement the curriculum.

The programme is being supported by OneWorld UK (UK), Butterfly Works (Netherlands), Education as a Vaccine Against AIDS (Nigeria) and the federal government.

Mrs Iheanacho Ivansuji from JSS Tudun Wada zone 4 said though her school has no computers, their sister school has some from which they can benefit.

This Day, May 28, 2008
Group Launches Assistance for AIDS Orphans
By Onwuka Nzeshi in Abuja

As scientists and medical professionals intensify their search for a vaccine against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), a civil society organization, Education as a Vaccine Against AIDS (EVA), has launched two projects for children how have been made orphans as a result of the ravaging disease.

The new initiative, known as Plus OVC Education Campaign, seeks to advocate for support for children orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS in the country.  In addition, the organization has launched the Dooshima Educational Fund to raise funds for educational needs of the orphans and vulnerable children.

Executive Director, EVA, Ms. Fadekemi Akinfaderin, who unveiled the initiative in Abuja, said it is intended to bridge the gaps created by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in communities by bringing the Orphans and Vulnerable Children’s (OVCs’) educational challenges to the limelight, generate public discourse on the issue and mobilize stakeholders to influence policies, programs as well as allocate resources to support the education of these orphans.

Akinfaderin disclosed that the pilot programme will focus on the Federal Capital Territory and two states in North Central Nigeria.  The states include Nasarawa and Benu, which has the highest HIV prevalence rate in Nigeria.  The goal of the campaign, according to her, is to work with children, caregivers and communities to facilitate increased access to educational services by orphans and vulnerable children.

“The right to education is one of the fundamental rights of a child.  Good education provides skills which increase the economic opportunities of an individual.  In the case of HIV/AIDS, children within the educational system are more likely to have better awareness and access to HIV/AIDS information and services.

Nigeria has recognized the importance of education by enacting the Universal Basic Education Act, which states that the first 9 years of education (Primary 1 to JSS3) are free and compulsory.  Despite this, many orphans and vulnerable children are not effectively accessing education,” she said.

Akinfaderin listed stigma and discrimination, high absenteeism due to caring for ill parents and caregivers at home, lack of concentration because of tiredness from working late hours at home, and low motivation due to bereavement and grief as some of the factors militating against the education of orphans and vulnerable children.

According to her, the situation is even worse for the girl child, whose case is further complicated by sexual harassment, early marriages and boy child preference prevalent in most African communities.

She lamented that the needs of OVCs have not been fully incorporated into the HIV/AIDS response in the country and there were very few documents of the issues, hence effective and informed decisions have not been taken by policy-makers in education.

Education as a Vaccine Against AIDS is a youth-based non-governmental organization whose mission is to establish systems and structures for young people to make responsible decisions about their development.  It has offices in Abuja, Benue and Nasarawa states and has been working on the issues of orphans and vulnerable children for the past four years.

Sunday Trust, May 25, 2008
What Hope for Orphans, Vulnerable Children?

Tuesday is Children’s Day.  The day is to celebrate childhood.  On this day, we pay tribute to children.  But here in Nigeria, what happens after the march past and colourful speeches from government officials?   By Ben Atonko & Terkua Igidi

Children are loved by one and all.  They win over our hearts with their angelic eyes and innocent smiles.  But in Nigeria whether children are truly loved is a question that cannot be easily answered.  Are Nigerian children properly taken care of, particularly, the orphans and the vulnerable?  A lot of money, time and energy are expended on celebrating Children’s Day each year, but in real sense what do the children celebrate when a sizeable number of them are made orphans and vulnerable by the HIV/AIDS scourge.

According to the Executive Director, Education as a Vaccine against AIDS (EVA), Fadekemi H. Akinfaderin (MPH), a large number of children are made vulnerable because of HIV/AIDS, a lot of them are also made vulnerable due to poverty, conflict and gender inequality.  Orphaned children are more likely to have low economic opportunities due to lower educational qualifications; as a result, they are more likely to engage in commercial sex work for economic purposes, thereby increasing their risk of infection.  These children are also more likely to do drugs, which also heightens their probability of getting infected.

With this stark reality staring government and relevant agencies in the face, is it still enough to mark Children’s Day only with march past, cultural displays and grand speeches?  It is an undeniable fact that the right to education is a fundamental right of children, but how many of them have access to the education?  And what quality of education do they have?

According to Akinfaderin, “Good educational qualifications provide an individual with skills for better economic opportunities in life.  In the case of HIV/AIDS, children within the education system have better awareness and access to HIV/AIDS information and services.  Although the Nigerian Government recognizes the need for education for her children by enacting the Universal Basic Education Act, its full implementation to cater for the educational needs of all children, especially orphans and vulnerable children, is what is in doubt.

“Many orphans and vulnerable children are not effectively accessing education.  Factors exacerbating this include stigma and discrimination, high absenteeism due to caring for ill parents and caregivers at home, lack of concentration because of tiredness from working late hours at home, and low motivation due to bereavement and grief.   This is especially true for the girl-child, whose case is further complicated by sexual harassment, early marriages, boy-child preferences, and high domestic burden,” the EVA Director stated.

She said her study of the condition of the vulnerable children in North-Central Nigeria indicates that if governments at the various levels do not gird up for the challenges, the future of many children and youths would remain bleak.

She identified poverty as a major factor militating against stay of children in school.  She therefore called for abolition of school uniforms and all levies as these have made many a child stay away from school.  She said children whose parents or guardians cannot afford the school uniform for them feel uncomfortable coming to school.

The home-grown school feeding programme introduced two years ago is not working in some areas, Akinfaderin noted, saying many children who were attracted to school because of it are now leaving school.

It is hoped that as Children’s Day is celebrated this week, adults would truly search their hearts and do that which they really need to do for the Nigerian child. No more rhetoric.