Diffa: Launch of the project “Integrated, Rapid and Continuous Response in Education, Child Protection, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for children in emergency situations in the Sahel – 2nd phase” of the NGO Concern

Diffa, Nov 22 (ANP) – The secretary general of the governorate of Diffa Mr. Hambaly Bouweye chaired on November 21, 2023, the launch of the project “Integrated, Rapid and Continuous Response in Education, Child Protection, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support children in emergency situations in the Sahel – 2nd phase” by the NGO Concern Worldwide.

This project is initiated by the consortium composed of Concern Worldwide and its partners “Save the Children, NRC and COOPI”. It is funded by the European Union Humanitarian Aid Office over a period of four years and aims to provide ongoing support and improve the well-being, protection and access to education of quality to girls and boys affected by conflicts in the Sahel.

The Secretary General of the governorate underlines that “With this new project in the field of education, more specifically in the rapid response mechanism in education (RRM) and that of education in emergency situations, Concern has once again more in support of the government’s multiple efforts to ensure quality education in a safe environment for all children in Niger. »

This project continues Mr. Hambaly Bouweye “covers the entire region of Diffa within the framework of the rapid response mechanism (RRM) and will also support eight (8) formal schools in the communes of Diffa, Chetimari, Maine Soroa and N’guigmi through the implementation of bridging classes, distribution of school kits to students, implementation of library activities, capacity building for teachers, members of community education support structures, remedial courses for students with learning difficulties. In order to make these activities effective and sustainable, I invite all decentralized State services and partner NGOs to continue collaboration with the NGO Concern to achieve the objectives assigned to this project. »

For the Education coordinator and representative of the Country Director Concern Mr. Basile Oubda “Concern is delighted with the continuity of its education interventions in the region through this project which includes classic education actions in emergency situations such as construction and the rehabilitation and equipment of school infrastructures, the capacity building of educational supervisors, teachers and community stakeholders, the provision of kits and psychosocial support for students and teachers, this project is innovative due to the consideration of the response mechanism (RRM) in education to meet the educational needs of children affected by displacement. The package of rapid response activities includes the establishment of child-friendly spaces, raising parents’ awareness of children’s rights and their registration in schools or school alternatives, the provision of school kits and support for structures reception schools within 8 days to 3 months following the population displacement alert. »

“For this first year, the project will affect 5,114 unique beneficiaries in the Diffa region and will be implemented by a technical team from Concern, according to a multi-actor approach involving the institutional level and the community level. The decentralized authorities will be stakeholders alongside the regional directorates in charge of Education, Protection and Culture. The other players in the GO RRM will be heavily solicited. As part of “localization”, the recruitment process of a national NGO is underway and the name of the selected partner will be communicated in the coming days. » said the representative of the Country Director of Concern.

Mr. Basile Oubda concludes that “Present in Niger since 2003, our intervention intends to contribute to improving the well-being of the communities most affected by climate change, hunger and conflicts, and to achieve the greatest possible impact. through the implementation of sustainable and innovative solutions to address the multidimensional nature of poverty, we deploy actions in the areas of education, health-nutrition, food security and climate resilience, in the regions of Tahoua, Tillabery, and Diffa.

Remember that Concern Worldwide is an international humanitarian organization dedicated to reducing extreme poverty and alleviating suffering. In 2022, Concern reached approximately 600,000 people in Niger, through emergency assistance and development programs covering livelihoods, education, health/nutrition and WASH. Concern currently works in 25 vulnerable countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Middle East.

MAY/SML/ANP/124/November 2023