MaximsNewsNetwork: 13 March 2010 – UNICEF: Garin Guizon, Niger Niger is among the West African countries that is working with UNICEF to promote sweeping changes in the education of children and especially girls efforts to integrate their instruction with all village children.
The IKEA imitative, the philanthropic arm of the home furnishing retailer IKEA and UNICEFs largest corporate donor and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, has been supporting these efforts since 2005 in stores with its Christmas Soft Toy Drive, in a worldwide effort that has raised more than US $6million in support.
Niger is one on the worlds poorest countries and it has one of the lowest education rates. A large majority of girls in this rural region are married before the age of 15 and end up giving birth to an average of seven children. One-in-five of those children will die before the age of five due to easily preventable diseases.
SOUNDBITE (Hausa) Zhara Illa, 11-year-old school girl:
Were really happy to go school, we want to do well and succeed. I want to become a nurse and my friend a teacher.
SOUNDBITE (French) Adamou Matti Dan Mallam, UNICEF Niger Communications Officer:
By giving girls the chance to go to school, we help them avoid underage marriages and forced marriages which are fairly common around here. They also learn about health and maternity issues, and other practical things that can have a real impact in their everyday lives.
The funds have helped to train teachers and provide supplies to classrooms, the construction of new buildings and basic sanitation like latrines and clean water and also teach children simple hygienic skills such as hand-washing which can greatly increase their chances of survival.
SOUNDBITE (Hausa) Hamissou Saoude, Teacher:
They are proud to see their children going to school and at home the children are even teaching their parents what theyre learning in the classroom.
The entire village gathers to celebrate the achievements of not only the children but the whole community. The school has become the center of the village and everyone is recognizing the benefits of education.
SOUNDBITE (Hausa) Chief Ali Katoumbe, Chief of Garin Guizo Village, Maradi:
We used to have to travel to the city just to have a letter read. Now I wait for the day when one of the girls of our village will become a government minister.
SOUNDBITE (Hausa) Zhara Illa, 11-year-old schoolgirl:
If boys can go to school to learn and succeed why cant I do the same!
…………………………………………………………………………………………………. ( UNITED NATIONS CHILDRENS FUND: UNICEF TELEVISION ) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. MaximsNewsNetwork:
News Network for the United Nations and the International Community.
See: http://www.MaximsNews.com.
“GIVING POWER & RESONANCE TO THE VOICE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Duration : 0:4:30
