Launch of The Sedoo Initiative for Children with Special Needs-SECHILD

The Sedoo Initiative for Children with Special Needs-(SECHILD) was launched on 3rd March in 2011 at Sinoni Chinese Restaurant in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria.
The unveiling of SECHILD was a very well attended event, graced by a cross section of the Nigerian society from government officials to members of charity organizations across the country. Kawan Aondofa-Anjira (Mrs.) the founder and President of the Sedoo Initiative for Children with Special Needs in her welcome address said the establishment of SECHILD was borne out of their experience (her husband and she) of nursing two children with special needs (Sedoo and Aondofa) and the desire to support, advocate and reach out to other families’/care givers/ children with special needs.

In her speech the President and founder of SECHILD Kawan Aondofa-Anjira (Mrs.) said the Sedoo Initiative for Children with Special Needs-SECHILD was conceived and developed from their experience her husband Aondofa and her in nursing TWO of their four children Sedoo and Aondofa who were born with some diagnostic category that made them children with special needs. Sedoo (to whom this Organization is named. Sedoo, their precious and pretty Daughter was born on August 22, 2005, with Cerebral Palsy while her brother Aondofa Joshua was born on January 18th, 2007, also with Cerebral Palsy.
She explained that SECHILD which is established with personal funds is an experience-based NGO of a couple caring for two children born with special needs in a society where there is so much ignorance, nonexistent of support centers, lack of awareness on such condition and the painful, difficult and most challenging raising such children.

According to the President Kawan Aondofa-Anjira Mrs., ignorance, nonexistent of support centers, traditional myths, absence of professional assistance and the frustration of raising of raising such children coupled with firsthand experience of the trauma and painful experience of what parents and care givers especially mothers of children with special needs go through in caring for these children and the desire to establish an institution for similar children with the reservoir that provides children with cerebral palsy and other disorders, families and their caregivers with access to comprehensive information and resources led to the founding of SECHILD. She said the experience is emotionally drenching, frustrating, challenging, painful, financial tasking, time consuming and very demanding.

Kawan Aondofa-Anjira, President and founder said the Sedoo Initiative for Children with Special Needs is registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission under part “C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 RC No. 42610 as a not-for-profit, community driven development and non-governmental charitable organization committed to an often neglected target group within the Nigerian Society; vulnerable local children with special needs focused on improving the lives of children with special needs/persons including those with disabilities. The prgramme is to help these children regardless of their condition and needs.

SECHILD’s mission is to improve and promote the health and well-being of children with special health care needs and their families. The organization focuses on providing information to families and health care professionals. SECHILD’s work includes special projects, information, research and evaluation that impact care and support, quality of care, education and family partnerships in health care and support for children with special needs. In doing this, SECHILD is building bridges of partnerships and collaboration with a variety of groups to plan and implement grants and projects that improve care and increase access to support such children and their families.
Kawan Aondofa-Anjira (Mrs.) said establishing SECHILD was out of a burning desire to fill in the gap with a lot of sacrifices and the NGOs growth and sustenance is dependent on partnership and support from government, corporate bodies, individuals, and NGOs. She therefore, called on all stake holders, well-meaning, spirited individuals and government agencies to partner with the Initiative to enable them to reach a larger number of affected children. She said their efforts is more of private funding which the result will not be as much as supported and partnered with.
Dr Shatima Richard Dennis a Senior Consultant Pediatrician with the National Hospital Abuja, Nigeria and also a visiting Consultant Pediatrician to Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Nassarawa State who has worked as Registrar and later Lecturer II/Senior Registrar in the Pediatrics Department, College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Borno State with seven Research Publications to his credit several Local and International Courses explained what Cerebral Palsy is and Dr Otubelu gave a power point presentation on CP, causes and management and entertained questions from the audience.
The occasion was also used as the inauguration of the Board of Trustees namely are:

  1. Kawan Aondofa-Anjira-Founder
  2. Esta Mbadzuan Charles-Ayede- Chairperson
  3. Apha Mark-Iber
  4. Jamilla Danbatta
  5. Jessica Ofem-Arikpo
  6. Dr. Ngutor Ver-Or
  7. Rev. Terseer Shagba
  8. Barr. Terna Liman
  9. Esther Iangba-Kapu
  10. Aondofa Abraham Anjira
    The occasion was used for advocacy and awareness creation on the rights and needs of children with special needs.
    There was a lot of entertainment and drama depicting the needs of children with special needs and what practical steps need to be taken.

The Sedoo Initiative for Children with Special Needs has SECHILD Center, as administrative office and a Residence Care home. SECHILD Center offers residence rehabilitation, advocacy, Care, special education, physio/occupational therapies, scholarship programme, and other intervention programmes, facilitation, adaptation of children/adults with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. SECHILD Center also provides a means for meeting with support groups for information and other services with the trust that together with other community programmes and especially parents, the organization will create awareness among the community on the needs families of children with special needs and what practical things can be done.

SECHILD is set to in collaboration with other agencies and Ministries of Health, Women Affairs and Social Development, Education and others who envisage development of care center of various profile that contribute to individual development of the children/ persons with cerebral palsy and their involvement in public life.

MANAGEMENT OF SECHILD
SECHILD is be managed by Board of Trustees and an administrative management unit made up of the President, Executive Director/ Facilitator of the SECHILD Center, Head of Human Resources, Head of Advocacy, Rehabilitation and an Accountant. The Executive Council of SECHILD has the powers to make rules and regulations for the day to day running of the organization. The Executive Council will implement all policies and decisions of the Board of Trustees.

AIMS OF SECHILD
SECHILD’s aims at having many specialized Centers- to conduct special and corrective programmes as well as the upbringing activities of children with special needs and individuals of deprived parental/societal care.

SECHILD’S GOAL
The organization’s programmes’goal is to provide children with special needs the needed services, advocacy, care and items that they need for their daily living and enjoyment that are not currently being covered by any form of medical insurance nor provided by a community or government programme. Along with the goal, SECHILD offers support, training and information to parents and care givers of children with special needs and other disabilities. SECHILD aims to not only provide assistance with items needed, but to also create a community of support, encouragement and guidance through our residence care and physio/occupational therapies. SECHILD is developing a network of healthy relationships with other non-profit and for-profit programmes in and beyond families in obtaining the resources available to them.

SECHILD’S FOCUS
The organization’s mission is to collaborate with partners in addressing the needs of vulnerable children while promoting their rights with focus on advocacy and providing information to families and health care professionals. SECHILD’s work includes special projects, information research, monitoring and evaluation and family partnerships in health care and support for children with special needs. In doing this SECHILD hopes to build bridges of partnerships and collaboration with a variety of groups to plan and implement grants and projects that will improve care and increase access to support such children with special needs and persons with disabilities their parents and care givers.

SECHILD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
• To advocate for the rights of children with special needs and persons with disabilities
• To provide and promote better delivery of special educational services/ development of children with special needs and persons with disabilities for more effective intellectual growth to create opportunities for self-actualization through sponsorships and trainings
• To provide shelter and rehabilitation for children with special needs and persons with disabilities
• To provide residence care, physio/occupational therapy, therapies for children with special needs and persons with disability to enable them to attain their maximum potentials
• To sensitize and raise awareness on the impact of non-inclusion of disabled person and educate and re-orient the general public on myths and local beliefs disabilities particularly on children with special needs their acceptance and inclusion
• To educate parents/caregivers on the rights of children with special needs, the parent’s responsibilities while building capacity through counselling services, intervention, trainings and support programmes for them.
• To stimulate the government of the rights of children with special needs and persons with disabilities within the framework of the national disability act.
• To promote a better delivery of special educational services for effective intellectual growth of children with special needs
• To provide professional support and information for children with special needs.

FUNDING OF SECHILD
The organization was established with personal funds with the hope that it will be funded through agencies’ grants, private foundation grants endowments, private/personal donations and supporters.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

X