Cleverminds Educational Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), in partnership with National Population Commission
(NPC), has commenced Project ‘Count Every Child’ in Iyara, Warri, Delta State.
According to a statement by Cleverminds founder, Zion Oshiobugie, the project was aimed at giving about 300 vulnerable, orphaned and underprivileged children in Iyara community an opportunity to register their births.
“It’s saddening to know that this children have in the past years been denied the right to be captured in government register.
“However, with this new project, members of the community have heaved a sigh of relief that the era of having new birth without birth certificates is over,” he said.
Explaining further, Oshiobugie added that statistics showed that only 30% of children under the age of 5years had birth certificates.
“Not having your birth registered is equivalent to not having an identity and not existing. Most children in Iyara community do not have birth certificates.
“The motive behind this project is to give these children a valid identity. Apart from having an identity, they can use their birth certificates to access other basic services like healthcare and basic education.”
He noted that relevant information such as name of each child was captured and forwarded to the Delta State office of the Population Commission for processing after which the certificates of each child was handed over to their parents on the 15th of May.
The socialpreneur also revealed that part of the activities of ‘Count Every Child’ Project was an immunization exercise in partnership with an health organization, Safari Pharmacy, who vaccinated about 150 children in the community against several infectious diseases like rotavirus, hepatitis B, pneumonia, measles, mumps and rubella amongst others.
The statement also has it that the foundation is currently raising funds to construct the first free private primary school in Iyara community via its project ‘ENGAGE’ weekly dance in Iyara community.
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