Stakeholders brainstorm ways to improve At-Risks Children Programme in Gombe
Stakeholders in the Federal Government’s At Risks Children Programme (ARC-P) being implemented in Gombe State on Saturday held a meeting to brainstorm on ways towards improving the programme in the state.
Speaking on the sideline of the event held in Gombe, Mr Suleiman Usman Yusuf, the Chief Executive Officer of Bold Age Consults as well as the consultant on behalf of the office of the Vice President which is led by the Special Adviser to the President on Social Investment, Hajiya Maryam Uwais said the project had met expectations.
Yusuf said the programme was part of government’s efforts at addressing the high number of out-of-school children and other associated risks against youths and children in the state while also creating jobs.
He said he was in Gombe State to coordinate a focus group discussion organised to discuss with key stakeholders in the state on ARC-P project.
“We are here to discuss with the stakeholders because this programme is under implementation so we are here to hear from different stakeholders regarding how far the project has gone.
“We are more specific to the challenges so we know how best to improve on the program.
“No matter how beautifully designed a programme is, there has to be some challenges and how do we deal with them, we ensure that the project is better positioned to deal with all issues around the Almajiri menace,” he said.
Yusuf while highlighting some of the achievements of the projects in Gombe said job creation and vocational skills acquisition were some of the success story of the project.
According to him, over 500 youths in Gombe were trained as facilitators to mentor vulnerable children to be reliant, “these trained youths are being paid to do this jobs.”
He stated that the children especially the Almajiri pupils/ students were also trained to acquire vocational skills and “today many are now free and making their own money.”
“The impact as you heard from the ongoing discussion is huge. When I came during the first baseline assessment, some of these children who could not manipulate phones now do that.
“That is to show that they are bright. What they require is a platform that will enable them grow faster and learn more skills and knowledge.
He said that the greatest investment anybody could do was to invest in human capital and he said one of the aspects of that is giving people opportunity to build skills and knowledge.
“This is what we are trying to do. Allowing the children to learn Islamic knowledge which connects them spiritually with God and give them more understanding of the religion.
“We add vocational skills because they also need those skills to sustain, eat and be financially buoyant in a way for those who have successfully acquired skills.”
According to him, the whole idea would have multiple positive results as the children would no longer be as vulnerable as they were before ARC-P.
Yusuf also noted that the programme would help reduce poverty in the long run in line with the desire of the Federal Government.
Yusuf appealed to well meaning Nigerians in the state to assist the government by providing the trainees with starter packs as the responsibility of nurturing these children, he said was not that of government alone.
On his part, Mr Muhammad Farouk, ARC-P lead in Gombe State said the project had made a huge impact in the state and they were at the meeting to re-strategise ways of improving the project going forward.
Farouk said the impact had majorly helped in terms of reducing out-of-school children and also engaging 500 youths which according to him were being paid N30, 000 monthly stipends by the Federal Government.
Farouk commended the partnership between the Federal Government, the Gombe State government and other global partners, adding that school enrollment had increased while skills acquisition was also being strengthened.
According to him, the ARC-P is complementing the state government’s effort in addressing out-of-school menace as well as youth empowerment.
