By Khadija Abdullahi Yahaya
Efforts to safeguard vulnerable children in Sokoto State have taken a major step forward with a comprehensive registration drive led by the state government through the Ministry of Women Affairs, in collaboration with civil society partners and UNICEF.
Following an extensive household survey and visits to tsangaya—Islamic schools where many Almajiri children reside with their Mallams—a total of 249,523 at-risk children have been registered.
This includes 113,208 Almajiri boys and 136,315 out-of-school adolescent girls. The initiative also extends support to survivors of gender-based violence, victims of child abuse, and children entangled in legal conflicts.
Grassroots Parrot reports that under the leadership of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, a multi-sectoral program has been launched to address these pressing vulnerabilities.
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While primary school enrollment in the state has been on the rise, a significant number of Almajiri boys remain outside family care, and thousands of adolescent girls are still out of school.
The Sultan Committee on Almajiri Reform is at the forefront of this intervention, working towards securing a brighter future for Sokoto’s children.
Commending UNICEF for spearheading this initiative, the Sarkin Yakin Gadji, District Head of Gadji, pledged full support from community stakeholders to ensure the successful reintegration of these children into the formal education system.