Street Children

 SSN supports the work of two small NGOs - The Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) and our sister organisation, Stepping Stones Nigeria Child Empowerment Foundation (SSNCEF) - to help meet the needs of some of the region's many street children.

Over 95% of the children on the streets of Akwa Ibom State, where both projects are based, have been stigmatised as ‘witches’ and abandoned to live on the streets by their parents. On the streets these children become vulnerable to rapists, traffickers and some have been known to become victims of ritualists who use their body parts for Juju. The deeply held traditional belief in 'witches' and the large numbers of street children in the region makes the job that CRARN and SSNCEF are doing even more incredible. Despite frequent abuse from the public they make a huge difference to the lives of the children that they care for.

The main areas in which both agencies focus their work are:

Rescue – Saving the lives of children who are at risk from serious harm

Rehabilitation – Providing the children with healthcare, clothing, education, counselling, refuge and protection

Reunification – Doing everything possible to reunite children with their parents, should they both wish for this to happen

Re-orientation – Working with community members, traditional leaders, police, and government to re-orientate the way that they think about children, fight the belief in child witches and promote a greater understanding of child rights.

Stepping Stones Nigeria is a member of the: