July 10, (THEWILL) – A Non-Govermental Organisation, the Child’s Rights Rehabilitation Network (CRARN), located in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, said it has reintegrated over 8,000 vulnerable children into the society since its inception in 2003.
The President/Chief Executive Officer of the Centre, Mr Sam Itauma, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen to mark the 20th anniversary celebration of the Centre on Sunday.
According to him, a lot of children, who were either brought to the centre by good Samaritans or picked on the streets under unfavourable conditions, had been rehabilitated, reconciled and integrated into their respective families within and outside the State.
Itauma lamented the situation where some of the vulnerable children were labelled witches, stigmatised and thrown out of their homes to suffer various hazards and weather conditions.
“Our efforts have rehabilitated support of more than 8,000 vulnerable children who have either accessed support from us or rescued from our CRARN facility.
“About 15 vulnerable children have graduated from different universities in the country, 20 children graduated from College of Education and 25 are presently in different tertiary institutions within and outside the State.
“To make education easier for the children in the centre, the centre had been able to establish an academy with six structures called CRARN Academy, where they are trained through primary and secondary levels of education”. Itauma said.
He, however, called for support from spirited individuals, companies, and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to better the lots of the vulnerable children in the centre.
He expressed appreciation to security agencies in the State, including the DSS, for their voluntary partnership and for being instrumental in the protection of the vulnerable children in the centre and the State.
He stressed the need to always create awareness and give a helping hand to the vulnerable children in the society.
He, however, lamented that most vulnerable children, especially females, suffer sexual abuse from men of easy virtue, and some die due to torture before help could come their way.
He thanked the State Government for always coming to their aid even as such help led to the establishment of CRARN in 2003.
The Executive Director explained that the 20th-anniversary celebration would draw the attention of the Local, State and Federal Governments to also learn a helping hand to further the service to vulnerable children.
About the Author
