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HIV/AIDS: Foundation tackles psycho-social needs of young girls

HIV/AIDS: Foundation tackles psycho-social needs of young girls
By Talatu Maiwada
HIV/AIDS
Abuja, June 1, 2018 (NAN) AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), an NGO, says it has created a safe space programme and trained more than 40 persons to address the psycho-social needs of young women and girls in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Country Programme Director, AHF Nigeria, Dr Echey Ijezie, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja during the Safe Space Programme workshop.
Ijezie said the programme was aimed at addressing certain challenges that confronts adolescent girls and young women from the ages of 14 to 24 years in various communities.
He listed the challenges to include components of social networking, gaps in psycho-social support, menstrual hygiene, confidence deficits, and lack of skills to negotiate safe sex.
The safe space workshop, according to him, provides a place for young women and girls to express emotional issues without hindrances while addressing their various challenges.
Ijezie, however, noted that the event would be addressing the psycho-social impact of HIV on young women and girls while guaranteeing a safe space for interaction and networking.
Mr Steve Aborisade, Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria, also said the programme would address leadership capacity of the young women and girls.
“We are focusing on skills training on social intelligence, menstrual hygiene awareness, opportunity of mentoring, and importantly affording them the right mental frame to face challenges without breaking down.
“The psycho-social needs of young women and girls are enormous, some face trauma, poverty and are socially disadvantaged which has psychological effect on how they project themselves and interpret their roles in society.
“We at AHF want to ensure that these wonderful girls are empowered, able to build their self-confidence, self-esteem and to confront their future productively,’’ he said.
Mr Samuel Jinadu, Clinical Psychologist with Gede Foundation, Abuja, underscored the need to address mental health issues among persons living with HIV and AIDS.
Jinadu said the new mental health strategic work plan designed by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) emphasises the inclusion of mental health and care of individuals living with HIV and AIDS.
He said studies have shown that people living with the virus and experiencing mental health challenges such as depression, have poor attitude to seeking care, which would eventually affect their treatment plan generally.
The clinical psychologist however noted that the collaboration with AHF was to enhance compliance, follow up programmes and pay attention to mental health components that affects such individuals. (NAN)
TIM/HS/MST
Edited by Halima Sheji/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Foundation seeks support for children with disability

Foundation seeks support for children with disability

NAN-HG-9
Support
By Talatu Maiwada
Abuja, Jan. 29, 2018 (NAN) Sedoo Initiative for Children with Special Needs (SECHILD), an NGO, has called for support from the Federal Government, individuals and organisations to enable it provide support to children with disability.

Mrs Kawan Anjira, the SECCHILD President, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday that the support would also enable it increase nationwide awareness about cerebral palsy and other conditions.

She said that awareness about the various disabilities facing children with cerebral palsey, spina bifida and hydrocephalus was low and they are permanent birth defect affecting the development of the spine, spinal cord and the brain.

Awareness on these conditions, she said, was not available especially in rural communities thereby affecting the overall growth and development of children affected.

According to Anjira, there are still beliefs in parts of the country that children born with one or more of these conditions are from the devil and they suffer discrimination.

She said that re-orienting those who view these children in such light should be addressed as every child was “beautifully, purposely and uniquely created”.

“In Nigeria it is traditionally believed that a child born with abnormal development is from the spirit world or a snake incarnate and will bring a curse on the family.

“Many children with Cerebral Palsy and other deformities in some communities are either buried alive or thrown into the river to return to the spirit world as a service of purification to the parents of such children.

“The truth is that these beliefs and practices have negative effects on the psychological and social status of these families.

“These children should have the opportunity to know and experience love and care from their families and community.

“My organisation was founded specifically to provide succour to these children and parents including professional assistance, information on therapy and education with emphasis on children with Cerebral Palsy.

“Research has shown that when children are provided with adequate tools they need for their unique skills and ability, they can fully enhance their cognitive, social and emotional development,” Anjira said.

She said that providing early and continuous intervention to these children was a powerful tool that could enable them live a full and active life.

She added that the condition was a life time condition and it could only get better through therapy and constant training.

Anjira called for support from specialised medical practitioners such as physiotherapist and neurologist in building a caring and actively supportive environment.

NAN reports that Sedoo Initiative for Children with Special Needs (SECHILD) was founded in 2011, Non-Governmental Organisation committed to an often neglected target group within the Nigerian society. (NAN)
TIM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Economy

Nigeria shops for N314.8bn for recharging Lake Chad

Nigeria shops for N314.8bn for recharging Lake Chad

NAN-H-171

Conference

By Isaac Aregbesola

Abuja, Feb. 22, 2017 (NAN) Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama says Nigeria is in need of about one billion dollars (N314.8bn) for recharging of drying Lake Chad.

The minister told newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja that the fund would also take care of the humanitarian needs of persons affected by Boko Haram insurgency in North East Nigeria.

Onyeama said that an international conference of donor countries and agencies has been scheduled in Oslo, Norway, to raise the funds on Feb. 24.

He said the conference was being put together with the support of Germany and Norway, who galvanised the international community to support Nigeria’s efforts in addressing its humanitarian challenge.

Onyeama said that the U.S., international organisations and civil society organisations were also supporting the initiative, adding that they are committed to making the donor conference a success.

The minister said that it was expected that at least one billion dollars or more would be realised to take care of the needs of the people in the Lake Chad basin.

He described the conference as a great opportunity for the international community to make meaningful commitments towards funding humanitarian response activities in Nigeria.

He said that the conference would present an opportunity for Nigeria to present its case to the world on the humanitarian challenges it is facing.

“The Nigeria Government will want to present the scenario to the international community.

“We will want to also present the road map we have put in place to the international community on the enormous sacrifice and resources we have invested in it.

“The programme is on already, we will look at food security which is immediate threat.

“A large number of children and women are suffering; we have to deploy all the resources we have to address this,” he said.

According to him, the conference will also look at access to medicine and other basic facilities, which require huge investment.

He said the number being affected were up to 10.7 million people, which is the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.

“We will focus on humanitarian protection for the people of the region and the military gain in the area.

“There are civilians that are now coming up from the places occupied by Boko Haram.

“We are now beginning to see the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis in the area and it becomes one of the world biggest humanitarian crisis today and the food challenges,” he said.

He said there was the need for jobs creation for the people in the area so as to address the challenge of restiveness and extremism ideology.

“In the context of job creation we have to look at Lake Chad that provides livelihood to 10 to 20 million people.

“Now that the Lake has shrunk to 10 per cent of its original size, we have to look at recharging the lake which is capital intensive.

“Political commitment is very important and getting the buyer is very important; we are going to this conference to convince other governments especially of industrialised countries to be generous,” he said.

While appreciating that other countries are also facing economic challenges, he expressed belief that if Nigeria stated its case they would be aware of the dimension of what it is facing.

He said that Nigeria was doing everything to show its commitment to the course. (NAN)

IAA/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola