A non-governmental organisation, the Street Mentors Network, Monday said it has empowered 530 vulnerable children in Akwa Ibom state through educational support, food items, health interventions and vocational skills.
The group’s executive director, Ms Anny Michael, stated this at a press conference while commemorating the 2026 International Day of Street Children, in Uyo.
Michael stated that the empowerment programme is targeted at street-connected children, orphans and children from low-income homes.
She said the initiative was designed to help vulnerable children and ease hardship on struggling families.
”Across Akwa Ibom state and Nigeria at large, children find themselves on the streets due to poverty and family instability, abuse and neglect, lack of access to education and harmful cultural beliefs and stigmatization,” she said.
Speaking on the theme: ‘Protect, Do not Punish,’ Michael said that no child should be treated as a criminal for simply trying to survive.
She added that the organisation has reached 359 girls through empowerment programms, trained 105 young people in vocational skills and engaged 25 boys through sports mentorship. She added that the organisation has reached over 10,000 people through advocacy campaigns.