The National President of the Association of Orphanages and Homes Operators in Nigeria (ASOHON), Gabriel Oyediji, has urged all levels of government to strengthen collaboration with private homes to enhance the welfare and protection of vulnerable children across the country.

Speaking at a training session for Orphanages and Homes Operators in the Southwest Zone held in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Monday, Oyediji expressed concern that 90 percent of orphans and vulnerable children reside in private homes with minimal government support.

"We are the ones bearing all the children for government. Government carries less than 10 percent of the total number of orphans in Nigeria. If UNICEF put the orphans in Nigeria at 17.5 million as at 2008, we are talking about 22 million orphans and vulnerable children now," Oyediji stated.

He highlighted that private homes shoulder the entire responsibility for feeding, healthcare, and accommodation of these children, creating significant challenges for orphanages nationwide.

"The bigger support is to help finance the association, finance members. A child in the home must have something from the government. They should find us, they should trust us, and they should collaborate more for better results," he added.

BenriNews reports that the training, themed "From Vulnerability to Stability," was organized by ASOHON in partnership with SOS Children's Village. The event, aimed at strengthening foster care in Nigeria, attracted approximately 40 home owners.

Oyediji emphasized that children raised exclusively in orphanages often lack crucial social skills, personal attention, and affection, highlighting the importance of family-based care through fostering.

"This training is to teach our home owners to learn about foster care — not to become too attached to the children and allow them to grow all their years in orphanages, but to release them for foster care. This foster care would help them have a real experience of family. It would expose them, teach them how to cook, how to take care of the house," he explained.

The Ogun State ASOHON Coordinator, Beloveth Edima-Ekpo, stressed the importance of understanding the distinction between fostering and adoption, urging members to adhere to ethical standards and be prepared to release children when adoption opportunities arise.

Margaret Abosede Oviutu, State Deputy Coordinator for Child Protection Network, advised participants to implement their training and treat the children as their own while following all child protection laws and guidelines.

Stella Willoughby, Executive Secretary of Ijamido Children's Home in Ota, described the training as enlightening and called for increased advocacy regarding new foster care policies to address potential challenges.

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