Psychosocial Support and Well-Being for Orphans and Vulnerable Children as a Strategy for Poverty Reduction in Cross River and Ebonyi States, Southern Nigeria

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume II, Issue V, May 2018 | ISSN 2454-6186

Psychosocial Support and Well-Being for Orphans and Vulnerable Children as a Strategy for Poverty Reduction in Cross River and Ebonyi States, Southern Nigeria

Inah E. Okon^1*, Takim Asu Ojua²

¹Department of Geography & Environmental Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
²Department of Social Work, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

^*Corresponding author: Inah E. Okon

Abstract: – Though, Nigeria has achieved high economic growth rates in the last 5-10 years (6.5 per cent annually), there is high inequality in this growth. For example, of an estimated 54% of the population who lives below poverty line, 64% and 33% are located in the rural and urban areas respectively. In Cross River State, the population of OVC is estimated at 408,124 and in Ebonyi over 565,600 OVC as at 2015. Poverty is widespread and HIV epidemic has revealed a broad range of vulnerabilities faced by children and their families which has invariably increased the number of orphaned children. Over 310,000 children have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Cross River and Ebonyi States aside other social factors that has continually increased the vulnerability of children. The sample of 824 tools was selected using a multi two-stage sampling design. In the first stage, 6 LGAs were selected, two from each senatorial district in Cross River and Ebonyi States. The LGAs were purposively selected using the rural – urban criteria and categorized as such. This definition of urban or rural was relative, one chosen Local Government Area relative to the other and therefore only for the purpose of this survey. From the selected LGAs, a (political) ward was chosen using a population based random sampling method to represent a cluster. In this second stage a total of sixty (60) clusters, thirty (30) from each State were selected and, Thirteen (13) households from each cluster were identified using simple random sampling. Focus group discussion with some caregivers as well as organisations that offer help to them was also carried out. To analyse OVC situation in the study area, 15 themes from the 2012 MEASURE evaluation core indicators of child and caregiver/household well-being was adopted. A household survey questionnaire comprising of three sections was utilized to collect quantitative data on households and children 0-9 years, and 10-17 years old respectively. The study showed distribution of the orphans in both States. For Cross River State, 155 (14.2 %), 426 (38.2 %) and 270 (24.7%) were maternal, paternal and double orphans respectively of the 1,093 children who responded, while in Ebonyi State 100 (12%), 547 (66%) and 447 (54%) accounted for maternal, paternal and double orphans respectively. It was further revealed that 35.7 per cent and 20.9 per cent of children less than 5 years have had diarrhoea in the last 2 weeks prior to interview date in Cross River and Ebonyi States respectively. Furthermore, about 69.2 per cent and 65.5 per cent respectively for Cross River and Ebonyi States records children less than 5 years of age who has been ill with a fever within the last two weeks just before the interview. The percentage of children in Cross River State 0-9 and 10-17 years who were too sick to participate in daily activities accounts for 53.6 per cent and 49.5 per cent respectively. And in Ebonyi State, about 55.6 per cent and 39.5 per cent were too sick to participate in daily activities for 0-9 years and 10-17 years respectively. Findings further revealed that percentage of children less than 5 years of age who are undernourished in Cross River were found to be 69.0 per cent (0-4 years) while in Ebony State, it is given as 61.4 per cent (0-4) years old. Most of the caregivers of the households surveyed are widows and with very low income as about 75.1 per cent and 86.9 per cent in Cross River and Ebonyi respectively indicate that they earn below N10,000 (less than $30) per month. This implies the inability of over 90 per cent of household heads to attain the $2 per day living standard as recommended by the World Bank. This further confirms the high level of poverty amongst these households with its attendant negative consequences, especially with regards to meeting the needs of the inhabitants of such households. The inability of the people (Caregivers and their OVC) to access basic needs is largely due to the poverty levels in these States which is worse in the rural communities. Economic insecurity at household level lies at the heart of the OVC problem in these two States and therefore remains core part of the solution. The need to increase access of members of the households in the communities of intervention to access micro-credit facilities is critical if the needs of the OVC must be sustainably met. The Ministry of Social Welfare in both States should assist the poorest of the poor through their” Project Hope” and “Comfort” Interventions for indigent people.

Key words: Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Poverty, Caregivers, Household, MEASURE Evaluation.

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