NGO pledges sustainable efforts toward keeping street kids in schools

LAGOS (Sundiata Scholar) – An NGO, Street2School Initiative, has pledged continued support toward ensuring that children rescued from the streets and enrolled in schools are retained in the system.

Founder of the organisation, Ms Oluwatosin Olowoyeye-Taiwo, told on Wednesday in Lagos that the initiative had adopted a multi-faceted approach to sustaining the parents, the school and the children’s well-being.

Olowoyeye-Taiwo said that the initiative was aimed at complementing government’s efforts at tackling out-of-school children and disadvantaged young people.

According to her, the NGO engages in regular checks, school visits to monitor the academic progress, general activities and the overall well-being of the children.

“We also maintain close contact with their families to address any socio-economic issues that might push the children back to the streets.

“This includes securing safe housing for particularly vulnerable families and empowering their mothers through entrepreneurial training and access to zero interest loan for their businesses.

“We are enabling them to create a sustainable income by tackling both educational and home-front challenges. We also provide a safety net that minimises the risk of relapse,” she stated.

Olowoyeye-Taiwo, however, said that limited funding, inadequate infrastructure and societal indifference were part of challenges faced in the course of the initiative.

She solicited for collaborations from individuals and organisations to create more opportunities for a better life where the children would be able to enjoy quality education and attain their potential.

“We have been on this project for a decade now. Nevertheless, we are open to partnership to enable us make more positive impacts, as there are still more children on the streets. (NAN)