By Marian Okpe, Abuja
The Association For Orphans And Vulnerable Children In Nigeria (AONN) held its 17the Annual General Scientific Meeting in Abuja, with the Theme: Improving the Quality of VC Programming By NGOs in Nigeria.
AONN is a non governmental organization (NGOs) that supports Orphans and Vulnerable children in Nigeria. It is a care giver establishment that ensures quality of life for orphans, vulnerable children and the physically challenged persons, improving their well being. With a resolution to enhance on the level of operations to orphans across the country, the event drew participants from different NGOs including humanitarian workers across Board.
The two days event held on the 10th and 11th., August 2023 in Abuja was a huge success as member organizations from the thirty six states of the federation and FCT turned out immensely to grace the laudable event.
High point of the event was presentation of various categories of Awards to well meaning Nigerians whom have contributed in various ways to the social economic well being of Orphans, Women and vulnerable children in Nigeria, including the National President of National Council for Women Society (NCWS), Hajiya Lami Adamulo.
Addressing the media at the occasion, was the Immediate past National Coordinator, founder and currently Secretary Board of Trustee of AONN, Dr. Grace Dafiel said ” the organisation will continue to live up to her mandate by implementing good policies that will help in reviving the livelihood of an ordinary Nigerian child.
More so she stressed, “we have been able to serve over one million children in the country via various projects”.
Dr Dafiel reiterated that the journey has not been easy, but Passion and the support of Nigerians especially the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs made it possible for AONN to move on and wax stronger.
She expressed her gratitude to God Almighty and members organizations for the successful 5th Scientific and the 17th Annual general meeting, particularly the fact that the association is not indebted to anyone.
“We really appreciate state partners and member organizations who contributed one way or the other to ensure we are not put to shame, this shows the level of commitment of the states and members organizations”
Continuing, she said, ‘in five to 10 years from now, we wish to see AONN as a very strong force to be reckoned with, we are also taking AONN to the global stage to speak holistically for the global vulnerable children.”
Dr Dafiel stressed their resolve to take the advocacy to the African Union, so as to ensure that vulnerable children gets the right responses “as this will certainly reduce the impact of dangers in their lives”.
In like manner, the National Coordinator AONN, Mr. Marcus Williams while shedding light on the progress of AONN, said AONN is made up off Networks of NGOs of about four hundred and forty four members organizations across the thirty six states of Nigeria including FCT. Drawn from women, children as well as people living with
disabilities group.
“I came on board in 2021, will be two years by November, and by the grace of God, we have achieved a lot, I came in when we were one hundred and twenty thousand members, but today, we have over four hundred members organizations. AONN has become a formidable allies with the government of Nigeria, particularly the Ministry of Women Affairs and other agencies of government.
Mr. Williams said, the issue of vulnerability in Nigeria, needs proper attention considering the increasing rate of poverty in the country buoyed by communal conflicts and unemployment, he posited that child vulnerability comes as a result of parental negligence and inability of government to enhance on the living conditions of the populace.
He said development partners, as well as foreign partner such as UN and UNICEF etc are looking at possible ways of engagement, especially the global push which is localization, and AONN stands as a localization entity within Nigeria.
Five to ten years from now, “I see AONN metamorphosed into a very strong developing partner in the country that could be able to access international grants so that we can deplore such grants to members organizations and ensure that the fund gets to the needed beneficiaries”. AONN will become an Allie with the government such that we will begin to consider engagements in term of policy formulation such that the plight of vulnerable children will decreases”
Coordinators from various States of the federation, presented their progress reports at the occasion.
Finally, Mr. Williams advised AONN and members organizations to adhered strictly to international best practices and do what is expected of them.