Education and Skills

The main goal in terms of education is to ensure OVC school enrollment, reenrollment, retention and completion. Hence, MF ensures OVC progress well in acquiring knowledge and life skills at home, school, job training, or an age-appropriate productive activity. Also MF ensures OVC enroll and attend school or skills training or are engaged in age-appropriate play, learning activity, or job through the following means:

• Child education awareness & sensitization
• Advocacy for OVC school enrolment /re-enrolment
• Advocacy for waiver of school fees
• Facilitate the provision of school material/uniforms
• School visit
• School performance assessment
• Enrolment into Early Child Development (ECD) program
• Referral etc.

 Psychosocial support

MF provides psychosocial support services to vulnerable households during home visits and other project activities to ensure that household vulnerability improves over time. Over 34 Caregiver Forums have been established in project sites to enable beneficiaries to enjoy these services. In this regard, 3,000 caregivers have been provided with Better Parenting Skills information using the Better Parenting Skills Modules during caregiver forums so that the knowledge gained can enable them become better parents.

On the other hand, MF has 50 functional kids clubs which serve over 10,000 OVC with psychosocial support. During these Kids clubs/Teens Forum, the capacity of young kids are built on different areas of life (Life Building Skills) targeted at helping them build resilience and meet their potential in life. Some other services provided include:

• Counselling support for caregivers & OVC
• Adult mentor for OVC
• Recreational activities- RBCP (Red Ball Childs Play)
• Referrals etc.

Protection

MF ensures that all children are safe from any abuse, neglect/exploitation and have access to legal protection services as needed. This is often achieved through linkages to Social Welfare Department at the L.G.A and Child Protection Network. Also, other services are provided to the OVC to ensure that the child is cooperative and enjoys active participation in activities with adults and other children. MF in collaboration with NPopC facilitates OVC Birth registration and certification. In this light, huge successes have been recorded as over 6355 OVC have been provided with birth certificates.

16 Child Protection Committees (CCPC) have also been established across communities in Jos North and Bassa LGAs of Plateau State to address issues that evolve around child abuse. Furthermore, MF in its course to achieve quality service delivery across communities has been able to establish 15 functional Quality Improvement Teams (QIT) that applies Improvement science methodology to provide care in line with the National Standards for improving the quality of life of vulnerable children in Nigeria (NPA II).