Abbas Bamalli
Save the Children International (SCI), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has registered more than 2,100 parents for positive parenting classes, known as ‘Safe Family,’ in Mashi Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.
Mrs Atine Lewi, the SCI Programme Manager, disclosed this during a monitoring visit by the project’s Technical Working Group (TWG) to Mashi LGA on Thursday.
VaxSocial Unveiled in Kano to Combat Vaccine Hesitancy
She explained that the project was funded by the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) initiative and implemented by SCI in collaboration with the Katsina State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the one-year project began in October 2024 across selected LGAs in Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina states.
Lewi said the positive parenting classes were designed to equip parents with effective strategies for raising confident, healthy children while building stronger family bonds.
“The approach promotes nurturing, respect, and encouragement to guide children’s behaviour and development.
MAMII Presents Co-Creation Intervention Report to Kano Govt
“It focuses on building a strong, positive relationship with children, teaching them valuable life skills, and fostering their well-being through encouragement and understanding, rather than punishment or coercion.
“We engage parents to identify protection issues within the community and educate them on how to ensure children are not exposed to abuse either at home or in school,” she explained.
Lewi revealed that the Integrated Emergency Education Response project has enrolled about 29,127 children into classes, exceeding its target of 21,127 in-school children and 7,000 out-of-school children, with 8,150 out-of-school children now enrolled.
She emphasised that the goal was to support children affected by displacement due to insecurity or flooding, ensuring uninterrupted access to education.
“Since it’s an integrated project, we’re also addressing protection and gender discrimination.
“We aim to support communities in Mashi and Musawa LGAs to develop climate change mitigation plans.”
Lewi noted that the project included alternative learning centres for out-of-school children and partnerships with schools for in-school students.
“To strengthen child protection, SCI is working with community structures to implement protective strategies.
“We’ve trained community volunteers who manage safe spaces for children and parents.
“We equip children with life skills, and for every child enrolled, we also engage their parents to ensure consistent learning support at home,” she said.
She added that SCI had established child rights advocacy clubs in schools and community-based early warning and anticipatory action committees to prevent abuse and promote child protection.
In his remarks, the District Head of Mashi, Iyan Katsina, Alhaji Kabiru Ibrahim, commended SCI for its support and promised continued collaboration to ensure the success of the project.
Some of the benefiting parents expressed satisfaction with the positive parenting sessions and appealed to the state government to sustain the programme beyond its initial one-year duration.
NAN reports that approximately 41,000 learning materials have been provided for distribution across the participating communities.
NAN