Shelter & Education for abused children in Nigeria

Dear Donors,

For a child, home should be the place where they feel safest.

It should be where they sleep without fear, eat with their family, prepare for school, play, and know that the adults around them will protect them.

But for some children in Nigeria, home is where the fear begins.

A child experiencing abuse may learn to remain quiet because speaking could bring more punishment. Another may stop attending school. Some run away because sleeping on the street feels safer than returning to the place where they were hurt.

No child should have to make that choice.

UNICEF reports that about 6 in 10 children in Nigeria experience some form of violence before reaching the age of 18. Violence against children can happen at home, at school, in communities, and in other places where children should ordinarily feel protected.

Behind those numbers are children.

A girl afraid to tell anyone what happened to her.

A boy who has learned to hide his injuries.

A child who has stopped attending school because everything around them has become uncertain.

And a child sleeping somewhere unsafe because there is nowhere else to go.

This project was created for children like them.

With support from our donors, we plan to provide safe, supervised shelter and access to education for 500 children who have experienced abuse, violence, or neglect.

A safe bed is only the beginning.

The children will receive meals, clothing and other basic necessities. Those who have missed school will receive learning support and help returning to formal education where possible. Children who need emotional and psychological support will also be connected with appropriate care.

We want a child arriving frightened and uncertain to gradually understand something very simple:

You are safe here.

There will be somewhere to sleep tonight.

There will be food to eat.

There will be someone to listen.

And there can still be a classroom, books, friends, and a future beyond what happened to them.

We cannot erase a child's painful experience. But what happened yesterday should not be allowed to decide every day that follows.

To our donors who have already supported this project, thank you. You are helping us work toward a place where children who have experienced abuse can find safety and begin rebuilding their lives.

We still have a long way to go to reach 500 children.

If this project speaks to you, please share it with your family and friends. You can also start an individual fundraiser and invite others to help provide shelter, education, meals, and care for a child who needs somewhere safe to begin again.

Every child deserves to know what it feels like to sleep without fear.

Thank you for standing with them.

With gratitude,
Ugbede-Ojo Dominic Kadiri