KADUNA – No fewer than 210 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) would benefit from the skills acquisition programme of the Centre for Integrated Health Programmes (CIHP) in Kaduna State, its official, has said.
Mr Julius Joseph, the programme’s Community Network and Linkages Associate, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday in Kaduna.
Joseph said that the 210 beneficiaries were selected from three Community-Based Organisations in the state.
He said 70 beneficiaries each were selected from GAWON Foundation, Manchok and the HIV/AIDS Positive Widows and Orphans Initiative, Kagoro, in Kaura Local Government Area.
He said that another 70 participants were selected from Fantswam Foundation, Kafanchan in Jama’a Local Government Area of the state.
According to Joseph, most of the beneficiaries are children whose parents died or are living with HIV and AIDS as well as those from indigent families.
He said the beneficiaries would be trained on photography, catering, leather works, decorations, event planning, fashion and design among others.
According to him, the programme is designed to equip the beneficiaries with the necessary skills to be self reliant and fend for themselves.
“We support OVCs below the age of 18 with health care services and education, but once a child attains 18 years, he seizes to benefit from our programme.
“So what we do is, we equip OVCs under our care with various skills to enable them fend for themselves as part of our exit strategy for all our supported programmes in the country.
“It is an annual programme. Last year we trained 46 beneficiaries and this year we increased the beneficiaries to 210’’.
Joseph said that the training would be conducted in Kafanchan and would last for six months, adding that registration had already commenced.
He described CIHP as a leading indigenous non-governmental organisation established to promote better health outcomes for all Nigerians through creation of strong and sustainable health systems.
“The organisation evolved from Columbia University’s International Centre for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs in 2011 and has continued to support families, with focuss on comprehensive high quality HIV/AIDS care and treatment.
“It is being funded by United States Centre for Disease Control under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief initiative.
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“The initiative provides interventions and addresses other public health concerns like malaria, tuberculosis, reproductive health and immunisations among others,’’he said. (NAN)
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