By Aniefiok Christopher
Stakeholders at the orientation workshop by Street Mentors Network (SMN) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom Capital, have called on the state government to rise up against parents or guardians who abuse their children or wards.
Reaffirming that quick implementation of the Child Rights Act 2007 would help in protecting vulnerable children roaming the streets, they further called on the government to deal with parents or people who dump their children or wards on the roadside to serve as a deterrent to others.
Among the discussants were the South-South/South-East Regional Editor of Premium Times, Mr Cletus Ukpong; Mrs Patricia Etim, from the State Ministry of Health and Mrs Helen Ubit of Theolight Global Foundation in a panel session led by the Speaker of the Students Parliament.
The call came as a response to dumping of children and wards by some parents, relations and guardians on streets mainly in Uyo, Eket, Oron, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Areas, among others.
Already, the NGO has rescued and enrolled seven vulnerable boys in primary and secondary schools in the state.
The Executive Director of Street Mentors Networth, Ms Anita Michael, who stated this while launching its latest project, tagged Empower Girls Now (EGN), said the NGO has come with the mission to enroll at least 20 out of school girls from the streets back to the classroom.
Speaking on the theme “Agenda For Stakeholders Orientation” about the EGN project, Ms Anita stated that the NGO which started three years ago, is fulfilled to have taken a number of boys out of the street, with at least seven of them currently being enrolled in primary and secondary schools in the State Capital.
According to her, the vision behind Street Mentors was inspired by the urge to rescue vulnerable kids from the hash weather conditions in the streets of Uyo and beyond, adding that some of the kids her organization is currently catering for where before now, begging to survive, hence the birth of SMN to help them find succour.
The Executive Director seized the opportunity to call on parents, especially those who came from dysfunctional homes to take up the challenge and ensure that their children never see whatever negative situation they found themselves, while growing up.
She remarked that parents have a God-given responsibility to raise a responsible society, while calling on the government to reexamine adults who abuse vulnerable kids, adding that something is fundamentally wrong with such persons.
Participants at the stakeholders meeting, including the Paramount Ruler of Uyo, Edidem Sylvanus Okon, Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Diana Henry, Miss Rhoda Vincent, the Speaker, Akwa Ibom State Students’ Parliament, among others poured encomiums on Ms Michael and her team for the initiative to save vulnerable kids from the streets of Uyo and beyond.
Speaking with our correspondent, Master David, one of the rescued kids currently schooling at Amazing Grace College, Uyo and another, Praise Idara Edem, who had lost well meaning relatives to the cold hands of death, said Street Mentors have in one year rewritten their stories, by offering them hope for a better tomorrow.
The event also featured a paper presentation on The Role of Stakeholders in Driving Effective Communication by Amb. Peace Edem and a presentation by the SMN Kids, among other programmes.
