The Kwara State Government and stakeholders in child welfare have called for stronger institutional support, digital innovation, and improved care systems for orphaned and vulnerable children across the state.
The call was made on Thursday in Ilorin, the state capital, as operators of orphanages and homes gathered for the inauguration of the Kwara State chapter of the Association of Orphanages and Homes Operators in Nigeria.
The event, held alongside a two-day training seminar on Children First Software and advocacy for foster care, brought together government officials, child protection advocates, development partners, and operators of orphanages across the state.
Speaking at the programme, the Kwara State Commissioner for Social Development, Mariam Nnafatima, described the gathering as a major step towards strengthening care systems for vulnerable children.
She said the training programme, themed “Building Capacity Among Operators for Better Care of Vulnerable Children,” was designed to improve professional standards among caregivers and operators.
“The welfare of vulnerable children requires more than goodwill; it demands proper training, improved management skills, adherence to child protection standards, and sustainable support systems that can guarantee quality care and development for every child under institutional care,” she said.
The commissioner noted that the inauguration of the state chapter of ASOHON would create a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and stronger coordination among operators across Kwara.
“Through the planned training sessions, participants will gain valuable insights into modern caregiving practices, emotional and psychological support, child rights protection, and effective administration of orphanages and homes in line with global best practices,” she added.
Mariam lamented the numerous challenges confronting orphanages and homes, including inadequate funding, poor facilities, limited training opportunities, and rising operational costs.
“Limited financial resources, inadequate facilities, insufficient training opportunities, and rising operational costs continue to affect the quality of care available to vulnerable children,” she said.
“These realities make it difficult for many homes to meet the growing needs of the children under their care,” she said.
She appealed to government agencies, corporate organisations, philanthropists, and development partners to provide financial assistance for the initiative.
“Your generous contributions will assist in funding the inauguration activities, training programmes, logistics, educational materials, and other capacity-building efforts designed to improve the standard of child care services in Kwara State.
“By supporting this initiative, you are contributing to the protection, growth, and future of vulnerable children who deserve love, dignity, education and hope,” the commissioner stated.
In her welcome address, the Kwara State Coordinator of ASOHON, Christie Omolehin, traced the history of the association to 2008 when a small group of orphanage owners in Lagos came together to address challenges affecting children under their care.
She explained that the association was formally registered in 2010 and inaugurated nationally in 2015, adding that Kwara State reconnected with the national body last year after years of inactivity.
Omolehin said the introduction of Children First Software represented a major breakthrough in child care administration and record management.
She stated, “As we are seated here today, the best records each of us is likely to have on any child in our orphanages or homes will be grossly inadequate and paper-based.
“When information is needed on a child, the records may not be easily accessible because everything is paper-based.”
She stressed the need for orphanages to embrace technology in line with global trends in digital documentation and child protection.
She said, “This software will definitely help us to improve on our record keeping, capture the necessary information on a child.