Home to vibrant culture and immense potential — and to millions of children facing violence, hunger, and abandonment. Meet the grassroots heroes standing between fear and the future.
Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country — but for many children, life begins in conflict, poverty, or abandonment. From the insurgency in the northeast to urban street survival, children are losing more than time — they’re losing trust. These are the three most urgent challenges:
Boko Haram and ongoing insurgency have displaced over 2 million people — half of them children. Many live in camps or on the streets with little access to school, therapy, or safety.
In cities like Lagos and Kano, thousands of children live and work on the streets. Many are orphans, abandoned, or victims of trafficking — vulnerable to exploitation, drug use, and police violence.
Rape, incest, and child sexual exploitation are widespread but underreported. Most survivors never receive legal support or emotional care, and the justice system often fails to act.
Despite these challenges, Uganda’s children remain full of hope — dreaming of education, health, and opportunities for a better tomorrow.
At iam4allkids.org, we refuse to let size and chaos eclipse care. In Nigeria, we lift up the voices and work of those reaching the country’s most overlooked children — those who have no roof, no advocate, and no sense of peace.
We:
Share stories of girls surviving abuse and reclaiming their voice
Highlight shelters, drop-in centers, and trauma care in camps and cities
Support safe schooling, rights education, and healing circles for the unheard
In Nigeria, we carry care into crisis.
Nigeria is vast — and so is the need.
Over 1 million children have been displaced by insurgency in the northeast
Tens of thousands live as street children, many without identity or protection
Child sexual abuse is rampant but deeply silenced, especially in poor and rural areas
We believe every Nigerian child deserves to be seen, protected, and nurtured — no matter where they sleep.
Even amid fear, light returns:
In Maiduguri camps, boys once recruited by militants are reading in school tents.
In downtown Lagos, girls once abused are painting, learning, and laughing again.
In old bus stations, children with no last names are finally being called by one.
And because of your support, the children behind the headlines are being heard.
In Nigeria, healing begins with being believed.
In Nigeria’s conflict-ravaged northeast, BOWDI supports girls who have fled Boko Haram, child marriage, and sexual slavery. They provide shelter, trauma counseling, accelerated education, and legal advocacy for survivors.
Their field workers also reach camps and host communities with hygiene kits, therapy games, and mobile school sessions — helping girls feel seen again.
In a place where violence tried to silence them, BOWDI helps girls find their voice.
Street Child Nigeria works in urban slums and refugee camps to reunite children with families, enroll them in school, and provide psychological first aid. Their drop-in centers in Lagos, Borno, and Kaduna offer hot meals, therapy, and emergency protection.
They also empower local educators and child protection volunteers to spot abuse and intervene early.
For the child forgotten by the world, Street Child becomes a safe place to begin again.
In 2023, BOWDI launched Mobile Healing Circles across five internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Borno. With trained facilitators and social workers, they hosted weekly sessions for girls and boys to express grief, learn resilience, and rebuild relationships through group storytelling and play.
Children who once flinched at loud sounds began dancing to drums again. Parents were trained in trauma-sensitive parenting. Trust returned — slowly, gently.
Healing became more than a goal. It became a rhythm.
In 2024, Street Child Nigeria partnered with local officials for the Street Identity Drive, registering over 2,000 undocumented children living in markets, transport hubs, and under bridges.
Each child received a provisional ID, birth record processing, and access to schooling or shelters. Volunteers conducted surveys to reunite children with distant relatives or find safe care homes.
For many, it was the first time their name had ever been written down.
Meet the organizations standing with Nigeria’s most vulnerable and forgotten children:
Rehabilitating conflict-affected girls through shelter, schooling, and trauma recovery.
Supporting street-connected youth with legal ID, safe shelter, and school reintegration.
Nigeria’s first sexual assault referral center, offering survivors medical and emotional support.
Running mentorship and education programs for orphaned and street children in southern Nigeria.
Advocating against child sexual abuse and trafficking through school outreach and survivor support.
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