By John Otu Okocha, Child Sponsorship Officer
Over the years, PDAs Child Sponsorship programme has had great impacts on the lives of our community children. Many children have acquired life-skills through this programme, and for those who were lucky enough to continue in the programme throughout their primary and secondary education, the impact has been tremendous. The programme has inspired many to acquire and master basic life building skills (like reading, writing and negotiation skills); while others have taken steps to further their education beyond secondary level. Emmanuel, 20, from Amikpo community, is just one out of many young persons who have passed through the Child Sponsorship process. For now, he is preparing to go into higher institution, although he is into tailoring business. In his words, “I still remember the reading and spelling competition organized for pupils of my Community Primary School. It was a challenge that made me take a decision that is helping me till date. I didn’t know how to read then. Those who could read went home with prizes, but I went home with nothing. It challenged me to make a decision to learn how to read so that I can win prizes too. The competition was the turning point in my life.” He wants PDA to continue child focused programmes in rural communities to keep touching many more lives.
Currently, PDA has 513 children from 11 communities who benefit from the child focused programmes between September 2021 and December 2021. Between January 2020 and July 2021, PDA reached over 1230 children across 11 communities in Abakaliki, Afikpo North, Izzi and Onicha LGAs of Ebonyi State.