Empowering Street Children and Youth in Nigeria
AKHIN Africa is a social impact nonprofit organization creating inclusive and alternative learning spaces for street and out-of-school youngsters (aged 12-23 years) in Africa. The organization focuses on street children empowerment in Nigeria through rehabilitation, education, vocational and entrepreneurial training, and community reintegration.
WHO IS AN AKHIN?
We believe that our participants, called AKHIN, which stands for resilience, courage, fearlessness, and independence in Yoruba, have the power to gradually break the cycle of poverty and become agents of change in the street community.
To achieve this, AKHIN Africa provides alternative and inclusive residential spaces where street youngsters get rehabilitated, explore their interests and talents, can access formal education or hands-on vocational training, and acclimate to living in an empathetic and supportive community by developing a sense of service and learning to manage conflicts responsibly.
The Problem We Address – Street Children in Nigeria
Recent National Bureau of Statistics data estimates about 24.4 million homeless people in Nigeria, though it does not specify how many are youth. In cities like Ibadan, Oyo State, the number of homeless youngsters is substantial.
From years of street-level engagement, we have encountered many youngsters who are disconnected from their families; often orphans, semi-orphans, and survivors of abuse. These realities reflect the broader challenges facing street children and youngsters in Nigeria.
These youngsters live in impoverished slums, surviving through scavenging and facing cycles of poverty, imprisonment, or early parenthood. With little or no access to education or vocational training, their chances of reintegration are slim. The harsh conditions of street life often push them toward drug use, crime, or prostitution, leading to incarceration, illness, and premature death.
