USAID, C’River empower orphans, others with skills, start-up kits

 

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By Tina Agosi Todo, Calabar

United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with Cross River State Government, has empowered 42 orphans and vulnerable children with vocational start-up kits.

The Integrated Child Health and Social Service Award Chief of Party, Mr. Adekoya Peter (ICHSSA 1COP), said the programme was a USAID-supported project that was implemented by Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research Nigeria (CCCRN) and Cross River State Government.

He stated this, yesterday, in Calabar during the official launch of the CCCRN-ICHSSA 1 Maiden Vocational Skills Start-up Equipment Distribution to the 42 beneficiaries in Cross River.

The COP explained that the project, which runs in 54 councils across the three states of Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa aims at ensuring that orphans and  other vulnerable children are cared for and protected by their households, communities and governments to reduce their vulnerability to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Adekoya said: “We are here to launch the first phase of the vocational skill start-up kits distribution scheme for ICHSSA-1 in Cross River State to strengthen the economic potential of vulnerable households to meet the basic needs of their families.”

According to him, the project, which includes health services and education, has provided services to a total of 60,244 beneficiaries in the states, made up of 44,222 children and 16,022 caregivers, among others.

While handing over items to be disbursed to beneficiaries, Adekoya expressed hope that the initiative would achieve its purpose of impacting lives of many in the state. 

Special Adviser to the state governor on Women Affairs, Gertrude Nnanjar, expressed appreciation to USAID and CCCRN-ICHSSA1 for choosing Cross River orphans and other vulnerable children to be among beneficiaries of the scheme.