Yendi Catholic Diocese launches vulnerable protection project

The Yendi Diocese of the Catholic Church in the Northern Region has begun a project to help protect and enhance the development and welfare of children in the diocese.

An estimated 2,250 vulnerable children in 13 basic schools within the diocese are to benefit from the first phase of the two-year project dubbed: "Yendi Child and Vulnerable Protection Project."

They include six schools in the Wulensi Parish, six schools in the Chereponi Parish, a school in Yendi, and two orphanages at Sang and Makayili.

The project, funded by Kindermissionwerk, a German Catholic funding agency, seeks to create awareness on the negative phenomenon of child abuse and its impact on the growth and development of children.

It further seeks to facilitate the formation of child protection clubs in selected basic schools and institutions within the Yendi Diocese to champion issues affecting the growth of children.

Most Reverend Vincent Boi - Nai, Bishop of the Yendi Diocese of the Catholic Church, speaking at an inception workshop for stakeholders to launch the project at Yendi on Friday, expressed the need for the citizenry to prioritise the wellbeing of children and ensure their growth was devoid of exploitation, abuse and violence, amongst others.

Bishop Boi - Nai said the church was not only the place to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ but also to adopt strategic mechanisms that would guarantee human development and knowledge acquisition, hence the project.

He said the project would help minimise the incidence of child abuse that threatened the potential of most children and vulnerable people in the area.

Mr David Issaka, Project Advisor of the Yendi Child and Vulnerable Protection Project, said it would also prioritise the provision of counseling and emotional support services to abused children and vulnerable adults to help minimise school drop-out, crime and violence in the area.

He called for support from various stakeholders to ensure the success of the project, saying "It will contribute to protecting the rights of children in schools and communities resulting in a society where the rights of children and the vulnerable are safeguarded."

Superintendent Mr Richardson Kumeko, Yendi Divisional Police Commander, admonished parents and guardians not to take the laws of the country into their own hands by abusing children.

He advised stakeholders to invest in the development and protection of children to safeguard them against all forms of abuse.

Some of the participants proposed roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders and various innovations to help improve the implementation of the project to ensure success.