God Cares Rights Foundation (GCRF) has rolled out a project aimed at improving access to and uptake of quality education and health services for marginalized children in Enyezini, T/A Kampingo Sibande. The project is set to benefit 150 children.
Sharing more information on the project; Agnes Mughogho, Executive Director of GCRF said that the Organization has prepared several activities to ensure that the children’s rights to education, healthcare, shelter, food, protection and security are fulfilled.
“Marginalized and vulnerable children are often out of school owing to poverty. This is why we will be distributing learning and writing materials to 150 learners at Enyezini Primary and Secondary School. This will encourage school attendance, improve their participation in class work and eventually improve performance. We will cover the tuition fees for 30 secondary school students at Enyezini CDSS. The aim of these two activities is to safeguard the children’s right to education.” She explained.
Adding to her statement, Agnes said that the project will also address challenges in terms of health; particularly targeting HIV/AIDS awareness, testing and medication.
“We will facilitate the testing of 150 marginalized children, link those who test positive to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and follow up every fortnight on their adherence to ART. We understand that there are gaps in knowledge about HIV/AIDS within the community and that is why we will civic educate 30 traditional leaders who can then share this knowledge with their community members. This way, we believe that children will live healthier lives, free of discrimination and supported by their communities.” She added.
Blesco Nyangulu, the Project Officer further said that the organization will empower economically 30 households that are serving as caretakers of vulnerable and marginalized children in the community. The families will undergo a training on small scale business management in vegetable production and pig farming. Subsequently, the households will be given vegetable seeds and pigs. This is designed to ensure that the households are able to provide basic needs such as food and clothing for the children, and to resolve other challenges brought by poverty within the families.
The project is funded by the Egmont Trust (England) and will run up until September 2021.