In a bid to safeguard the future of vulnerable children in Sokoto State, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Sokoto State Government and civil society organisations (CSOs), has identified 249,523 children requiring urgent intervention.
This initiative, which includes 113,208 almajiris and 136,315 out-of-school adolescent girls, is being driven by a comprehensive household survey and direct community engagement to address critical issues such as lack of education, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and social exclusion.
With the backing of the Sultan of Sokoto’s Committee on Almajiri Reform, the programme is actively tackling systemic challenges affecting these children. The announcement was made during a two-day media dialogue and field trip focused on addressing the plight of almajiris and out-of-school adolescent girls in Sokoto.
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According to Pius Uwamanua, UNICEF’s Child Protection Specialist, the past two years have seen significant progress:
16,625 children (9,104 boys and 7,521 girls) have received integrated case management services.
Individualised care plans have been developed through the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS).
7,521 adolescent girls have undergone life skills training and comprehensive sexuality education to prevent harmful practices such as child marriage.
3,000 almajiri boys and 1,700 adolescent girls were identified for vocational skills training and workforce readiness; however, some were screened out due to being underage.
Michael Juma, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Sokoto, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment, highlighting that UNICEF currently runs programmes in eight local government areas to ensure adolescents and out-of-school children gain relevant skills for better integration into the labour market.
With these strategic interventions, UNICEF and its partners are taking significant steps to bridge the education gap, curb social vulnerabilities, and create a brighter future for children in Sokoto State
