In celebration of International Youth Day, UMBRELLA FOR THE AFRICAN CHILD in collaboration with YOUTH DAY OF SERVICE (LEAP AFRICA) organized a Sensitization project for teenage girls and boys in Tukarimu community, Ajegunle, Lagos, Nigeria on the 13th of August, 2022. This project was geared towards educating teenage girls and boys on: Child Sexual Abuse, Menstrual Hygiene and Drug Abuse. The project also included educating parents on how to create an enabling environment for their children to discuss issues like this with them.
The session was attended by child advocates from YDS (Youth Day of Service) and UTAC (Umbrella For The African Child). These advocates spoke about ways children can protect themselves, always keep themselves clean through proper treatment of their body and numbers to call once they feel violated by strangers or a familiar face.
Child abuse cases are everywhere, children are not safe anymore and some people are out there taking advantage of children for their own benefits.
According to UTAC sensitization Team Lead Miss FavourDiche she said: “In Ajegunle we are witnessing a divide between parents and their children. Communication is now a problem, especially when it comes to issues on abuse. Most parents are quick to keep their children mouth mute because to some it brings shame on the family”.
She added: As an organization passionate about children’s well-being UTAC sees this as a major problem in Ajegunle which is why the organization decided to embark on a journey to create awareness on the issue and encourage parents to always listen to their children and ask questions.
She concluded: This sensitization project won’t stop here, we have sent letters to secondary schools around Ajegunle, we will be having more of this program with the students and teachers.
The project was attended by 100 teenage girls and boys who listened to mentors and took notes down to help guide them through.
According to a passerby statement: Such project has never been done in Tukarimu community before and it brought a lot of parents great joy to see an organization speaking about this issues and including the parents.
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