An Ilorin-based group, Home and Street Kids Welfare Initiative (HSKi), on Tuesday, inaugurated an academy for street children in Kwara.
The inauguration, which was in collaboration with a consortium of NGOs was in commemoration of the International Day for Street Kids.
Executive Director of the Organisation, Ma Funmi Omisope said the aim of the academy was to ‘Turn Street Kids to City Kings’ adding that street children needed to be treated and given the same rights as other children.
Omisope said that the academy had two sections, which is the formal education and the creative hub; for skills acquisition.
“Today we are here to launch The Oasis Academy which will push the street children in this state into a future filled with hope and possibilities, especially when they are educated.
“They can become whatever they want to be, we do not want their backgrounds to limit them because they have creative and imaginative minds. Our aim is to take them away from begging on the streets.
“The creative hub is the skills acquisition section of the academy, with this, we want the street children to see Nigeria from a producer’s angle and make them know that they can also become brand names and make it in the entrepreneurship world,’’ she said.
The wife of Kwara governor, Amb. Olufolake AbdulRazaq, represented by the Commissioner for Social Development, Mrs Abosede Aremu, commended the initiative behind the academy.
AbdulRazaq said that educating street children was important to the development of any society.
She said whatever the children learnt would be of significant help to them in the future and the transformation of their society.
Mr Ahmed Abubakar, the Deputy Director Health and representative from the Ilorin South Local Government Area also commended the initiative.
Abubakar said that the local government was ready to partner with the organisation in the area of immunisation for the street children.
The Head of the National Library in Kwara, Hajia Bimpe Olanni called on individuals to partner with the NGOs and government to take street children off the streets and give them quality healthcare and education.
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Mrs Fatima Ahmed, parent to one of the beneficiaries, appreciated the organisation for deeming it fit to educate their children, praying for more God’s provision and guidance for the organisation.
