We’re open to share ideas towards sustainability of REACH Project- SCI Official
Shannon Ward, the Director, Project Development and Quality, Save the Children International (SCI) said SCI would welcome any invitation to share its ideas and opinions towards the sustainability and adoption of Reaching and Empowering Adolescents to make informed Choices for their Health (REACH) Project in the three states where the project is being implemented.
Ward stated this on Thursday while giving her welcome address during the Adoption of CHOICES and Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) and Life-skills Curriculum Workshop holding in Abuja.
She stated that the essence of the workshop was to allow shared discussions to see “what can continue, what investment can be made even though the project is ending.”
The SCI Official highlighted the fact that the child protection organisation was committed to the states where the REACH Project had been implemented and “it’s part of our usual routine to have discussions to see if there are potential gaps and where we might be able to provide support,” she said.
The Director added that if there were further ways SCI could support they will, hence, urged Gombe, Katsina and Zamfara states to “feel free to reach out to our offices to continue any of those discussions.”
Ward appreciated the supports of all stakeholders, noting that the gains recorded so far from the REACH Project were a result of the collective efforts from all stakeholders.
She appealed that the commitment and will be strengthened towards the sustainability of the project across the three states where the REACH Project is currently being implemented.
Also, Aderonke Areshodeinde, SCI’s Adolescents Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) Adviser said entrenching REACH Project in all communities in Gombe, Katsina and Zamfara states beyond August would go a long way in empowering adolescents in these states towards realizing their dreams and aspirations.
Areshodeinde noted that with the huge population of adolescents in these states and Nigeria, it was important to “harvest their energy, intelligence, capabilities so that we can have good health outcomes and youth that will make our society better going forward,” this is the opportunity that REACH Project offers.
She advised the state governments of the three states who may not have all the funds, to “start something, make a plan and a budget and sell it to bodies and companies in Nigeria who can chip in on what the government has done.”
