The Child Survival and Development Organisation of Nigeria (CSDON) has carried out an outreach programme for girls at the Lagos State Special Correctional Centre for Girls in Idi-Araba, Lagos, providing relief materials, educational assistance and health support.

The initiative, organised by the non-governmental organisation, was aimed at supporting the welfare, health and future of vulnerable girls and young mothers at the facility.

The outreach, themed “Hope Has No Bars,” was designed to encourage young girls in remand homes and reassure them that their present circumstances do not determine their future.

Speaking during the event, the Project Manager of CSDON, Robin Oderinde, said the organisation, established in 2002, envisions an African society where the health and well-being of mothers and children are prioritised through access to quality healthcare, education and development programmes.

According to her, the organisation focuses on supporting African mothers, children, orphans and young girls through health interventions, educational assistance and skills development initiatives aimed at improving their welfare.
Oderinde disclosed that the organisation’s patron, Onari Duke, donated several items to improve the living conditions of the girls at the correctional centre.

Items donated include a 43-inch television set, an industrial fan, cash support of ₦600,000 for health and welfare needs, large cooking pots, vegetable oil, sacks of garri, cartons of pasta, tomato paste, spices, toothpaste and bathing soap, among others.

She further revealed that the patron has also undertaken the responsibility of sponsoring the National Examinations Council (NECO) examination fees for three girls in the centre.
According to Oderinde, if the beneficiaries perform well in the examinations, the patron has also expressed interest in supporting their education up to the university level.

She also disclosed that the organisation is assisting another girl in the facility who requires surgery, although details of the procedure were not made public.
In addition, a hearing aid device will be provided for another student, while a lesson teacher will support the girls academically for three months.

Assuring the girls that they have not been forgotten, Oderinde said the outreach was meant to remind them that they still have a place in society and a hopeful future ahead.

“Today you are seen and valued. Your life matters,” she told the girls.
Highlighting previous interventions by the organisation, Oderinde noted that CSDON recently conducted its “Flow With Confidence” outreach programme in Delta State, focusing on menstrual hygiene support for adolescent girls.
During the programme, reusable sanitary pads were distributed to help girls manage menstruation more economically amid rising living costs.

She explained that reusable sanitary pads, widely used in many developed countries, can be washed and reused several times, helping to reduce financial pressure on young girls and their families.

The outreach also supported nursing mothers and women who had just given birth by distributing reusable baby diapers, baby mats, baby hats and other essential items needed before and after childbirth.
In addition, the organisation settled the medical bills of a patient during the programme.
Oderinde further noted that the patron’s humanitarian interventions extend to healthcare delivery through a hospital in Calabar that focuses on maternal and child health.

She revealed that about two years ago, the patron facilitated the visit of foreign doctors who carried out free medical treatments and surgeries for several patients.

Also speaking, a support worker, Michael Anyanwu, said the theme of the outreach was chosen to remind the girls that being in a correctional facility does not limit their ability to achieve their dreams.
“Hope has no bars. Prison bars cannot stop anyone from becoming what they want to be. Only death can stop someone from achieving their dreams,” he said.

Anyanwu encouraged the girls to remain hopeful and determined, urging them to focus on learning, self-development and discovering their purpose in life.

“Our message to the young people is simple: your dreams are valid. No matter where you are today, your future can still be bright,” he added.