Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has assured the young boys and girls retrieved from the streets in different parts of the state of his commitment to their full rehabilitation and reintegration back to society.
Sanwo-Olu said this when he hosted 120 of the rescued vagrants at the State House in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State on Tuesday.
Some of the kids were victims of low parental attachment and family disintegration.
Others left home after suffering abuse, while some took to survive on the streets when they became orphans.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, about a thousand of the street children are now being redeemed through the social initiative envisioned by a female talking drum artiste, Aralola Olumuyiwa, popularly known as Ara.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, while speaking on Tuesday, said ‘Eko Inspire Me’, a project sponsored by him, had offered the victims an opportunity to rebuild their lives and become useful to themselves.
He stated that the Lagos State Government had not only focused on addressing issues leading to social exclusion but had also focused on rehabilitating and changing the lives of victims.
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Sanwo-Olu urged the rescued street children not to give up on their hopes and dreams, urging them to take advantage of the initiative to develop their talents.
“The Eko Inspire Me project being championed by Ara has been making our work a lot easier. This is the effort of someone which God has led to change many people’s stories to positive ones. The minimum we can do as a government is to lend our support and make life better for the victims. Through this initiative, we have connected with a community of homeless individuals aimlessly roaming the streets.
“Lagos has inspired so many people and elevated them to great positions from their humble beginning on the streets. As victims of social isolation, your stories must not be different. Ara is using her voice and wisdom through this initiative to help you and turn your situation around for good. The least that is required of you is to show your commitment to this effort, which is targeted at changing your situation,” the governor said.
He, however, thanked the artiste for creating the platform for the redemption of street kids, pledging more support for the initiative and using it as a good example to drive social change.
Sanwo-Olu approved the provision of working tools and equipment for 100 of the street children trained in various vocations.
Speaking, Ara, who disclosed how she envisioned the initiative 10 years ago after her mother’s experience with street children in the Oshodi area of Lagos State, said she almost gave up on the project because of lack of funding.
She stated that Sanwo-Olu was the first governor to offer her a listening ear and support the project, describing him as “a man who cares for vulnerable young people”.
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