PLATINUM INTERVENTION CARE INITIATIVE
I am a Co-Founder and Director of Peace and conflict of a youth led Non Governmental Organization (NGO) called PLATINUM INTERVENTION CARE INITIATIVE CAC NO. 98960
www.platinuminterention.org
Platinum Intervention focuses on 4 key areas
1. Peace and Conflict
2. Almajiri (abandoned children)
3. Internally Displaced Person’s Affairs
4. Disability
ON OUR ALMAJIRI PROJECT
This is a short documentary on our Almajiri projects across North to put you up to speed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UAOavU0POg&t=1s
Background/Introduction
The Almajiri (Islamic scholarship migrant culture) is an increasingly pressing concern in Northern Nigeria. There are an estimated 9-10 million Almajiris in the 19 northern states at any given time. The practice involves sending children to other States and nations for Islamic studies. Most of the children do not receive a formal education.
Many children are sent from an age of 6 years. Many children are sent out to beg for alms during the day when there are no classes.
Almajiri children live in some of the shabbiest conditions imaginable. There are next to no jobs or opportunities for Almajiri adults in the increasingly challenging and competitive north. The above makes Almajiris prime targets for radicalization. Addressing Almajirinchi is an essential element of insecurity crisis in Nigeria. It is also a human rights issue affecting the rights of children.
Borno, epicentre of Boko Haram has 1 million Almajiris; many of Borno’s Almajiris are from neighboring nations, thus presenting a regional crisis.
Our Method of Solution
With the background investigation we carried out, we observed that a lot of method have been carried out to curb this menace, yet it continue to rise by the day like a time bomb waiting to explode beyond control. We decided to work on a small and replicable plan, which is the act of parental data collation and tracing.
Over the pass 5 weeks, we have engaged in some Almajiri project across several northern states (Zaria in Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger and Kano). In these states we go to a particular Almajiri school, we provide succor (food, wears etc), note, this is just a short term succor plan we put in place in order to be allowed in, to collate data.
When we get in, we introduce ourselves, our work and aims (preferably with the local dialect). In that light, if we are permitted, we take just 10 young ones among them and collect their names, age, state of origin, parents address and contact.
So far, we have just did 4 out of 19 Northern states and we hope to expand further.
The next face is tracing the parents, educating them and providing incentives to motivate them to allow their children to return home. Put them in both Arabic and formal schools under the care of the parents but with oversight supervision of PLATINUM INTERVENTION. All these comes with a lot of challenges
Challenges
I. Apathy: We encountered a lot of challenges, one of which is apathy. They don’t seem to care that much. And some of the ones that care are discouraged by the actions of some of the Mallams (teacher).
II.Communication Link gap: Like in Zaria, we only got the names and state of origin of the children, their parents contact (which seems to be the most important of the data) where not given to us. The mallam (teacher) categorically told us that he does not have the contact of the parents. That each state has a representative, the children are brought by these state representatives which we were still not given access to. They run it like a syndicate. But as time goes on, we began to get favorable response like in Niger state.
III.Funding: Another very important challenge is Funding, We tax our pockets (from salary and stipends) to execute these projects and we still have a long map to cover in this 3rd quarter.
Below is a short clip describing how they are left to go beg in the street at their tender age on shabby condition. Taken by Abubakar Saleh Ahmad during our keffi Almajiri project
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrihyDwAftc
BELOW IS ONE OF OUR ALMAJIRI PROJECT IN KEFFI CITY OF NASARAWA STATE
KEFFI NASARAWA ALMAJIRI PROJECT (Saturday 12th August, 2017)
Almajiri Schools Located at Agwan Waje
platinum interveners Muhammad idris (Peace and Conflict Director), Abubakar saleh said (Director, internally displaced persons) introducing themselves at the border of Keffi city of Nasarawa state before engaging in the project to curb the almajiri cultural flaws by coolecting their data to take take them away from the streets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFn2lHpairg
Meet Mallam Bako (an Almajiri teacher) as they interviewed him at his Almajiri school at Waje area of keffi. He has 55 almajiri children under his care. but their number have outgrown his pocket as such some of them had to go the street to beg to cater for themselves. He also narrated a story of an almajiri child that is now cripple as he was hit by a car while he was begging on the street. According to him,there are about 100 almajiri schools in keffi alone. He also stated that the almajiri system has changed compare to when they were kids, that they were more moral, obedient and do not beg in the street unlike the present age Almajiris.
This is one of the short interview video we took and translated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoLLfNcqIOs
when they went to the keffi market to get them food and foot wears to make them comfortable in giving us the data we needed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djy3bRP2f4Y
Interview with some of the kids. Some told them they want to become a soldier, some said a doctor while one of them said he want to become a VIGILANTEE (dan banga) and they all laughed out loud. it was fun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK0446K4K08&spfreload=10
Kindly Visit https://www.nairaland.com/3934035/almajiri-projects-possible-break-through for the full story, findings and challenges on our Almajiri project and campaigns
NEXT STATES TO VISIT
They hope to expand to other Northern states like, Jos in Plateau, lokoja in Kogi, Maiduguri in Borno etc
