Liberia-The Liberia Office of Save the Children International (SCI) has donated 493 school kits to the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, with a promise for continuous support.
The donation of the school kits follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The gesture by SCI is in support of the government’s National Street Children Project “Support a Child, Save the Future” launched in August this year.
In keeping with an MoU, Save the Children is to provide school kits to facilitate the academic re-enrolment of street children in primary public schools with a particular focus on those engaged in child labour, exposed to abuse, living with disabilities, or from low-income families.
Parties to the MoU also agreed that the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection identifies the most vulnerable children, including those engaged in street situation, child labour, exposed to abuse, living with disabilities, or from low-income families.
According to the document, the Ministry of Gender is responsible to coordinate the distribution of the school kits ensure that the items reach the intended beneficiaries.
During the presentation ceremony of the school kits on Tuesday at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, Save the Children Liberia Country Director, Mercy Wanjiku Gichuhi said the donation is intended to inspire children to leave the streets and go to school.
She however lamented the fact that over 300, 000 children in the streets.
She said: “We stand for the rights of children with three breakthroughs to ensure the child survives, learns by having access to quality education and are protected,” she told gathering at the presentation event, “Children need to be protected. So, wherever children are, the environment needs to be protected.”
Director Gichuhi indicated that children are dear to Save the Children, while at the same time expressed her organization’s commitment to work with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
“Our donation is 493 school kits to support children leave the streets. Once they get the kits, let us appreciate them because the streets are difficult,” Mercy stressed.
Madam Gichuhi called on teachers and administrators of schools where beneficiaries will enroll, to ensure that the schools are safe for the children “So that the children can easily integrate and not be intimated or bullied.”
She expressed appreciation to the Liberian government for undertaking such initiative to take children from the streets to schools.
For his part, the Acting Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Frederick Cooper lauded Save the Children for the support to the National Street Children Project, saying the Project is about improving and making better the future of children.
“The children should be looked at because they are the country’s future. The country will look up to them tomorrow if we are not around,” Acting Minister Cooper said.
