As reported by Nigerian Tribune the stakeholders in orphanages have urged all tiers of government to adopt a pragmatic approach in addressing the issue of street children rather than resorting to the use of force.

This call was made during the 10th anniversary of the Home and Street Kids Welfare Initiative (HSKi) in Ilorin on Tuesday. The founder and executive director of HSKi, Funmi Omisope, emphasized that forceful methods only result in street children relocating, rather than solving the root problem.

Omisope called for more sustainable measures to effectively address the situation, stressing the importance of providing support and guidance for the welfare and rehabilitation of street children.

Talking on her presentation, titled, “Who Will Save Our Children?”, Omisope said that governments should look into reasons why the kids either beg on streets, engage in scavenging or child labour and then make efforts to find solutions to the development.

She described the emerging situation of scavenging among kids as time bomb, saying that, “until every street child is safe, no child is safe. They live with our children and they could be used to commit atrocities and crimes”.

Quoting UNESCO statistics, Omisope said that more than 18.3 million children are out of school, adding that a total number of 87,247 children are out of school in Kwara state.

The founder of HSKi, also known as Agape Home, Ilorin, said that the foundation had touched over 2,500 children in the last 10 years through outreach, sensitization, free education and shelter, adding that 75 per cent of the kids are from the northern parts of the country.

Omisope, who said that her motivation for taking care of street kids was borne out of love to change lives of the kids for better, added that every street kid has potential.

“Oct. 14 makes it 10 years of HSKi’s meaningful impact on children who normally will not be associated with by the general public in Ilorin.

“We discovered “Koro Afoju” (Colony of the blind) in 2018 and we discovered that most of them were born into and trained to beg. It is an occupation passe/d from one generation to another”, she said.

Omisope said that some of the street children were enrolled in free schools, but could not fit in because of time, hygiene and other personal reasons.

She said that some of the street children were made beggars as a result of the impact of insurgency, Covid-19 and other harsh economic policies aside disability.

“Every street child has potential, we have impacted no fewer than 2,500 children since we began and we still have some of them in school and they are doing well.

She also said that “Basic education should be made totally free of PTA”, adding that incentives should be given to the parents, especially, mothers.

“Women empowerment is also important in the formal education of children especially street children.

“We should constantly look at issues pushing children to the streets, which in most cases is hunger.

“We appeal to individuals, corporate and government organisations to partner with us and sponsor these children’s education and feeding.

“Until every street child is safe, no child is safe”, Omisope said.