YCDEI REPORT FOR MAY

YOUTHCARE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ATTENDS OMEP MEETING

The Organization Mondiale Pour L’Education Pre-Scolaire Oyo State ,(OMEP)meaning World Organization for Early Childhood Education in English, held a meeting on the 8^th of May 2021, where members of the organization came together to provide strategic direction on the progress towards the support and research of Early Childhood Education.

The meeting provided the opportunity to review progress on the activities of various teaching and research carrying institutions thus far. The Founder and Executive DirectorYouthcare Development and Empowerment Initiative (YcDEI), Dr Adefunke Ekine, who wasa former president (2008-2015)was in attendance. This was the first physical meeting of the group since the pandemic began in February 2020. Lastly, in addition to the regular meeting procedures, the attending members also took a refreshing walk and photographs while discussing pending matters. Members include nonagenarian Chief Mrs Christie Ade-Ajayi who also was the hostess of the meeting.

YCDEI SKILL ACQUSITION PROGRAM

As a result of her commitment to youth development and empowerment, YcDEI continued with her skill acquisition program in the month of May. The BEAD MAKING class held on May 8^th, 2021, for the mentees. Dr Mrs Iyun, a retired Surgeon at U.C.H (a board member) facilitated the training. The training was held on site at the office and she was able to inspire the young girls (4) to pick up a craft while in school as an added knowledge. The executive director Dr Adefunke Ekine was in attendance. At the end of the workshop each mentee was given a set of tools freely by the Board Member. This indeed is a huge show of commitment to the growth and emancipation of the girl child.

YcDEI Makeup Vocational Class

The YcDEI Makeup and Gele tying officially began on the 15th of May 2021. The facilitator, Miss Dayo Adeleye (a certified makeup Artist) began by introducing herself and giving the mentees insight into what is needed to be a makeup artist. She also asked each mentee about their reason for choosing to learn the skill before delving into the class proper.

The mentees were taught the nitty gritty of the art and afterward encouraged to begin to practice on one another and at home. Indeed, it was an eye opener for the mentees and their excitement was obvious to all.  These are simple skills that could turn into an income generating activity for the girls,potentially ending the cycle of poverty and giving them financial independence, which is an important tool against domestic gender-based violence.

National Stakeholders Summit on Sexuality Education organized by Hope for Second Chance (HOSEC) in partnership with Youthcare Development and Empowerment Initiative held on the 22^nd of May 2021 in Abuja

The program began with the welcome address by the Chairman of the Day, Ambassador Babatunde Adeniran, and was followed by the keynote address by representative of Dame H.E Pauline Tallen, the Minister of Women Affairs. The representative began the address by stating that children are gifts and the building blocks and of any society and that this makes their protection and welfare of utmost importance. He read that a national survey conducted in 2014 showed that a high rate of sexual violence on children, and that this led to the launching of a campaign on ending violence against children in 2015. He stated that the campaign is still ongoing and aims to see a reduction in violence against children by 2023. Some cogent points noted in the address include the need to revisit the culture of silencing victims of abuse, as perpetrators are mostly people known to them. He also stated that from the survey conducted, it was deduced that violence against children has a serious impact on the children’s physical, emotional, and academic wellbeing.

Otunba Olusegun Olusewe who is the Director General of the National Council of Arts and Culture, gave a speech which he used to discourage the culture of celebrating the wrong and harmful behaviors such as homosexuality and promiscuity. He stated the need for all stakeholders to rise and fight against societal vices regardless of the consequences. Afterwards, various government arms and organizations gave their good will messages

Dr Adefunke Ekine, the Executive Director of Youthcare Development and Empowerment Initiative who was the lead paper presenter, began by expressing her joy at seeing many men present as such matters are often left to women. She spoke on the topic of Sexuality Education and Community Engagement in Curbing Sexual Violence. She began by stating that according to recent reports from WHO, sexual violence is on the rise due to the recent COVID ’19 pandemic and that it is therefore an issue of great concern. She presented the result of her recent research on school related gender-based violence in primary school pupils in five states of Nigeria and the federal capital territory Nigeria. She also stated that protecting children from violence is a communal assignment that every stakeholder has a part to play. She shared life examples of child violence and implored every stakeholder to turn a watchful eye on young children (both boys and girls) as they are also victims of sexual abuse as revealed by the research.

Furthermore, there was an interactive session with the following panelists: Mrs ImaobongLadipoSanusi, Mrs OluwatoyinOgunyomi, Mr LemmyUchegbe, Amb. Olubunmi Dayo Fagbuyiro and Mrs Christie EleojaAdejoh.  They are added their voices to the current issue on how to curb the menace of child abuse, molestation and rape. The participants were then grouped into smaller groups for further discussion and action points. The meeting ended with a charge to all stakeholders to rise and protect the interest of all children against all forms of abuse.

SCHOOL VISIT ON SRGBV TRAINING

Sequel to the series of training carried out earlier this year on School Related Gender Based Violence in six public primary schools in Ibadan. Youthcare Development and Empowerment Initiative visited the schools to interact with the pupils trained.

The following were the feedback from the pupils:

Usman from Community Primary School, Ikolaba reported how he was being bullied by some of his classmates. Although he wasn’t able to report this to his teacher, he confided in his friends and siblings telling them about all that was happening at school. The facilitator encouraged him to speak up and still report to a teacher. Pelumi and Bose from Community Primary School, Ikolaba both narrated, on different accounts, how boys in their communities have been trying to woo and convince them to start dating.  In both instances, they refused the boys’ advances and quickly reported this to their parents. They haven’t been bothered by the boys ever since. The YCDEI officer encouraged them to be bold and assertive.In Tominsi’s case from Community Primary School, Ikolaba, two girls in his school, one in primary six and another in his class (primary four), sent him love notes telling him they would like to date him. Not knowing how to react he dropped the notes with his friend. He turned his classmate down and has been avoiding the senior girl. He was however advised to be courageous and be assertive.Ruth from Community Primary School, Ikolaba narrated how a man in her compound had been making sexual advances towards her telling her to see him in the backyard, even following her to the toilet. Although she has tried to avoid the man, she cannot avoid the backyard he lives in as she has to go there frequently to run some errands, therefore she sees the man on regular basis. She has turned him down and threatened to report to his wife. When that seemed futile, she reported to her uncle who said he would deal with the matter. She doesn’t know if her uncle has addressed the matter yet but was able to tell us that the man has not bothered her in recent times. Mr Timothy gave her the office line to call, if the incident happens again.

A boy showed affection towards a girl and she in turn reported the boy to her teacher, this was the response of Amira Animashaun from Saint Paul Anglican Primary School, Yanbule. Akigbe Paulina from Saint Paul Anglican Primary School, Yanbule,reported the case of some pupils who fought and bullied each other. She then educated them on the negative effect of bullying and they stopped. Bimbo Mustapha, a primary five pupil of St. Stephen’s school shared her experience about acolleague who was threatened by a boy that wanted to date her, as an ambassador against SRGBV, she advised the girl not succumb to the advance of the boy because she is not prepared for a relationship.

Kehinde Ikeloluwa from Saint Stephen Primary School, reported the case of his friend who bullied him and said he does not know how to read fluently and fast like him and his friends, He said he refused to be affected by his statement and he stayed focus. Some of the pupils of Abadina Primary complained about their class captain’s misuse of power. She often insults and bullies them because she felt she was above them. A case of bullying occurred where a boy abused and insulted a pupil in the class and it resulted to fighting, which then made the boy to bit his female classmate on her hip. From the comments and behavior of the pupils, we could deduce that a lot of petty bullying was still going on among the pupils in the school.From the feedback received the facilitator went over the topic of bullying once again and charged the students to restrain from name calling and teasing.The pupils were reminded of some of the other topics taught at the training and were encouraged to be vigilant and also speak up and boldly say no incase of any sexual abuse. The following are the number of pupils for each school:

• Community primary school, Ikolaba – 60
• Saint Paul Anglican school, Yambule – 64
• I.D.C. Model Primary School – 55
• Saint Steven Primary School, Alegongo – 56
• Abadina Primary School, UI – 65
• Saint Cyprian Primary School – 50

CHILDREN’S DAY CELEBRATION

The children’s day celebration organized by CPN in partnership with several NGOs including YCDEI for children in Sabo community on the 27^th of May, 2021 had the Coordinator of the Child Protection Network (CPN), Mrs OluwatoyinOgedengbein attendance and other dignitaries. She reiterated the purpose of the event as making out time to celebrate the Children of the Sabo community on the occasion of the Children’s day celebration and to educate them on some current issues affecting children. The President of the Matan Arewa Initiative, Hajia Aisha Ismail whose Organisation collaborated with the CPN in hosting the event also gave a brief remark.  The Director of Schools in Oyo SUBEB Mr. Dairo Caleb Olutayo was in attendance to grace the occasion as well as some of the Heads and Teachers of the four (4) Basic Schools within the IMG school premises and the CPN member organizations’ representatives. In all, there were 8 Staff of  four Schools, 3 NSCDC Officers, 287 Children and 15 Other adults.

MENSTRUAL HYGIENE DAY

The Menstrual Hygiene Day, is an awareness day recognized annually on May 28 to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management globally. In the recognition of theday,Youthcare Development and Empowerment Initiative, in partnership with other active NGOs, under the auspice of Good Deeds International joined hands to visit the girls in three schools, Isabatudeen School 1&2 and Saint LouisGrammar School, Mokola, Ibadan, giving them short talks on menstruation, how to re-make a used menstrual pad, and menstrual hygiene care. It was an interesting and educative time with the girls as they were taught proper procedures to stay clean and healthy and maintain proper hygiene when menstruating. The girlswere also educated how to calculate their menstrual circle to know when they are due for next circle and be prepared for it. The NGOs went on to distribute two sanitary napkins to all the SS 1 female students in all the three school 3.

RECATI AND YCDEI CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP

RECATI in partnership with YcDEI organized an intensive creative writing workshop for young secondary school students between the ages of 10-17 years. The workshop started on Saturday 29^th May, 2021 at the YcDEI office. The facilitator is Ms TiwatopeOluwaseyi, an author and a physical education teacher in International School, Ibadan.The workshop had 15 participants in attendance, including the Program Officer of YcDEI, Mr Timothy Oni and Administrative Assistant Miss Ayomidunsi Layeni.

The classwas interesting and interactive. The on -going workshop focused on the nitty gritty of creative writing.

YCDEI COMMUNITY LIBRARY

The Ycdei community library was launched in April this year with the aim of improving the reading culture and enriching the minds of young people in and around the community. The library has been functioning in full force as it opens from Mondays to Fridays 10am to 4pm. Students within and outside the community visit the library once their schools close for the day. They spend the afternoon reading further on topics taught in class and completing their assignments using the variety on textbooks available. So far, a total number of 26 girls and 8 boys have been registered and have been visiting the library frequently. The students are monitored daily by Youthcare officers. At Youthcare we are excited to be providing a free space for the young ones to improve their reading skills.