Save the Children International (SCI) Liberia Office has donated 493 school kits to the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, promising continuous support.
The donation of the kits follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The gesture by SCI is in support of the government’s National Street Children Project, “Support a Child, Save the Future,” launched in August this year.
As part of the MoU, Save the Children is responsible to provide school kits aimed at facilitating the academic re-enrolment of street children in primary public schools with a particular focus on those engaged in child labour, exposed to abuse, living with disabilities, or from low-income families.
Parties to the MoU also agreed that the Ministry of Gender, identifies the most vulnerable children, including those engaged in street situation, child labour, exposed to abuse, living with disabilities, or from low-income families.
According to the document, the Ministry of Gender is responsible to coordinate the distribution of the school kits to ensure that the items reach the intended beneficiaries.
Speaking at ceremony for the presentation of the school kits on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town outside Monrovia, the Country Director of Save the Children Liberia, Mercy Wanjiku Gichuhi, said the donation is intended for children to leave the streets and go to school.
She said it is appalling to see over 300, 000 children in the streets.
“We stand for the rights of children with three breakthroughs to ensure the child survives, learns by having access to quality education and are protected,” she told gathering at the presentation event, saying “Children need to be protected. So, wherever children are, the environment needs to be protected.”
She indicated that children are dear to Save the Children, expressing her organization’s commitment to work with the Ministry of Gender.
“Our donation is 493 school kits to support children to leave the streets. Once they get the kits, let us appreciate them because the streets are difficult,” Mercy said.
Madam Gichuhi called on teachers and administrators of schools where beneficiaries will enroll, to ensure that learning environment are safe for the children so they can easily integrate and not be intimated or bullied.
She expressed appreciation to the Liberian Government for undertaking such initiative to take children from the streets to schools.
For his part, the Acting Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Frederick Cooper lauded Save the Children for the support to the National Street Children Project.
Mr. Cooper said the project is about improving and making better the future of children, adding that “The children should be looked at because they are the country’s future. The country will look up to them tomorrow if we are not around.”
