By Ogenyi Ogenyi, Uyo
A Non Governmental Organization, Child’s Rights and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) said it has reintegrated and reconciled over 8,000 vulnerable children back into the society since inception in 2003 in Akwa Ibom.
The President/Chief Executive Officer of the Centre, Mr Sam Itauma who made the disclosure while briefing newsmen to mark her 20th Anniversary Celebration in Eket on Sunday however lamented the situation where the vulnerable children were labeled witch and stigmatised.
“Our efforts have rehabilitated more than 8,000 vulnerable children who have either accessed support from us or rescued from our CRARN facility.” Itauma said.
The president noted that while about 15 of those children had graduated from Universities, 20 graduated from College of Education and 25 of them are still in different tertiary institutions in the state.
The centre he said has been able to put six structures in it’s facility while an academy that would take care of the basic education needs of the children has already been established and called for the support of local and foreign donors to expand existing facilities.
Itauma called for support from public spirited individuals, companies, Non governmental Organisation to better the lots of the vulnerable to the society and commended the Department of State Security for being instrumental for the protection of vulnerable children in the state.
The President said that the centre was partnering with different government security agencies to improve the protection of the children and called on the media
to help raise awareness on their plight.
He maintained that the top priority of vulnerable children was education, adding that the best prospect of the children was educating the children.
Although the children according to Itauma are still faced with the challenges of abuses, torture and sometimes death in the hands of people, he however thanked the state government for their support and wise counsel.
He said the elebration would help to draw the attention of the different tiers of state government to the challenges and prospects of the vulnerable children and the centre.
