Campaign  will empower 50 caregivers & provide adequate care for 1000 orphans and vulnerable children, by increasing the knowledge and skills necessary to provide quality, gender-sensitive care and support (e.g. clothing, food, water, hygiene, shelter, bedding, emotional support, education ,health care ,a safe environment ,recreation) and life skills for 1,000 orphans in Port Harcourt ,Rivers State, Nigeria.

Meeting the basic needs of children is not only vital for ensuring their current well-being, but is also critical to their future. Basic or "core" needs include food/nutrition, shelter and care, protection, health care, psychosocial support, and education. Illness in the family or the loss of a parent or parents is extremely disruptive to children, and places them at a distinct disadvantage in obtaining the support necessary for their welfare and even at risk to life. Financial and material resources are often required to meet most of these needs, Responses to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) have relied upon the extended family networks. Now with increasing numbers of orphans, the traditional social safety net is now unraveling, and the capacity and resources of family members – many of whom are already impoverished themselves, have been over-extended. Minimal social support systems outside the family exist in Nigeria. Even where basic social services are provided, they tend to be largely inadequate. Those children who slip through the traditional safety net often end up in the cities as street children, working children, or living in child-headed households.

Rural Nigerian communities are laden with under-resourced schools that limit the potential of children, making them unable to attain comprehensive education or succeed in the competitive world beyond. These children lack the knowledge, skills and resources available to their counterparts  and as a consequence, develop poor self-esteem and a high level of inadequacy which exposes them to further disadvantage and vulnerability.

Mitigating factors in target communities include poverty, inadequate psychosocial support, nutrition and health care, this remains a big   challenge. SDCE community dialogue feedback indicates that  target orphans need to be empowered with holistic service package focusing on their multifaceted needs at the community level. These children face severe physical, psychosocial, and legal challenges, rendering them disadvantaged and undereducated, and in turn more vulnerable.


Outcome
Psychosocial support, Education ,Nutrition and  Health  Services provided for 1,000 orphans   in 12 months  and improvement on the level of care & support.
50 care givers trained to provide Psychosocial support, Education, Nutrition and  Health Services for 1,000 . orphans.
50 care givers/young mothers and 1,000 orphans empowered in 12 months with computer/Vocational/ICTs & e-learning courseware and content; with business, e-learning, educational, and children's media and associations.
1,000  disadvantaged community children have access to digital/internet and hardcopy library to support their learning in education, in health and life skills  .
e-Learning courses in Math, Language Arts, Science, English Language, Health, Life and Computer Skills  provided for 500 kids and 25 young mothers.
1,000 OVC receiving food and nutritional supplement and health care services through program.
At least 100 children have learning disabilities, behaviour, emotional and social difficulties, those visually impaired  have improved conditions and  receive support, treatment and care
Adequate nutrition provided through the provision of fortified cassava flakes and improved income for care givers to take care of orphans under their care.


Impact
Nutritional supplement and multivitamins provided  improve growth, strengthen the immune system, and improve overall health of target children.
Children have learning disabilities, emotional and social difficulties, and those visually impaired  have improved conditions.
Improved potential for high quality education and science courses through e- learning, improvement on life-skill education and manpower development, bridging the progress divide in education and ICT opportunities & improved access to accurate information, education and communication for target children.
Access to ICT education, leadership development and vocational skills training to enable rural children gain knowledge, skills and self-confidence to excel in life. An enabling environment created for children to develop vital life skills, stay engaged in their education and have the best opportunity to realise their potential; the knowledge and competencies gained  will empower them to make informed decisions about their future and break out of the cycle of poverty; mentor their peers and younger children and grow to become agents of change and development in their communities, improved cognitive function, social development, fine and gross motor skills for target children.