A cross-section of social workers from the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, embarked on an intensive data verification process as part of the ongoing implementation of the Street Child Project.
According to a press release, the project titled “Support A Child, Save The Future,” is a five-year program aimed at permanently removing 73,317 children, 20% of the total number of 366,584 living in street situations.
It seeks to provide economic support to 18,330 mothers, empowering them to care for their children and prevent them from falling into vulnerable circumstances. The pilot phase of this comprehensive five-year project focuses exclusively on Montserrado County.
The release said the objective of this pilot is to permanently remove at least 7,698 children from street situations (5%) of the total in Montserrado. It further aims at empowering 1,920 mothers and caregivers associated with these children.
Therefore, the data verification initiative that kicked off in West Point is a critical component of the program. It aims to ensure that all information related to child welfare and support programs is accurate, reliable, and secure, thus enhancing the overall effectiveness of the initiative.
Key aspects of the data verification initiative include, comprehensive Data Collection: Information will be gathered on children enrolled in various support programs, their engagement levels, and feedback from both the children and their families, Verification Protocols: Protocols will be implemented to ensure the accuracy of the collected data, including cross-referencing with educational records and health assessments, Community Engagement: Community stakeholders will be involved in the verification process to enhance the credibility and transparency of the data collection efforts; and Reporting and Accountability: Regular reports will be provided to stakeholders on data integrity and the impact of the support programs, fostering accountability.
Additionally, the initiative is meant to create a robust database that will inform policy-making, program development, and resource allocation for child support systems in Liberia. It also fosters a culture of accountability and transparency within child welfare programs, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed.
On August 29, 2024, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, through the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MGCSP) officially launched the initiative to address the pressing issue of street children in Liberia. The project, “Support a Child, Secure the Future,” focuses on removing and keeping children from street situations as well as giving them a chance to lead better lives. Partners such as UNICEF, SOS Children Village, Street Child, and Save The Children representatives were in attendance.
