What We Do

What We Do

CAI4SR has varieties of programme and areas where it features in the promotion of community service development

SDGs 1: No Poverty

CAI4SR’s intervention is geared towards contributing to a reduction in poverty, most especially for vulnerable groups such as women, children and persons with disabilities who are the organisation primary target. The primary strategy has been to empower women to take charge of their socioeconomic and cultural roles through the provision of microenterprise skills development and provision of soft loans. This has resulted in a reduction of hunger (Goals 2) for the families that benefitted from this intervention. This has also enhanced access of children in such families to quality education, thus contributing indirectly to SDGs 4

SDGs 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all at all ages SDGs 1: No poverty

CAI4SR’s intervention is geared towards contributing to a reduction in poverty, most especially for vulnerable groups such as women, children and persons with disabilities who are the organisation primary target. The primary strategy has been to empower women to take charge of their socioeconomic and cultural roles through the provision of microenterprise skills development and provision of soft loans. This has resulted in a reduction of hunger (Goals 2) for the families that benefitted from this intervention. This has also enhanced access of children in such families to quality education, thus contributing indirectly to SDGs 4

Preventing avoidable blindness among children

Blindness is likely to place a substantial limitation on the ability of individuals and family affected to attain their full potentials. In view of the association between blindness and poverty, CAI4SR through a grant from CBM and other conglomerate of international organisations provided awareness raising through outreaches in all the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun state with the aim of preventing childhood blindness. The beneficiaries of this project are children between the age 0 – 14. By working in partnership with the state government through existing structure, the project trained health officials such as Community Health Education Workers (CHEWs), Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, teachers and other professionals to provide simple eye examination in order to identify abnormalities in the eye and make referrals to selected secondary facilities within the state. This has resulted in restoration of sights to children across the state while at the same time providing spectacles for indigent students. This has contributed to an improvement in school attendance and optimum performance of the beneficiaries thus contributing directly to SDG 4.

Sexual and Reproductive Health

Childhood and adolescent can have a devastating impact on the life of the younger generation. This becomes even more important if one considers the cultural value that perceives discussing about sexual or reproductive health as a taboo. This has resulted in unwanted pregnancies and risky abortions. This has also promoted secrecy in sexual relationship among sexually active girls and boys with high mortality and morbidity. In order to address this, CAI4SR provides sexual and reproductive health information to students across secondary schools in the state capital. This has provided an opportunity for students to ask questions and clarify issues and areas of confusion. This has resulted in a better perception of themselves while serving as peer educator to others. This has also contributed to SGDs 4 and 5.

SDGs 4: Quality education

Most of CAI4SR has contributed in one way or the other to the attainment of quality education, engagement at policy level has not receive adequate attention. In order to ensure this, CAI4SR embarked on advocacy to ensure school-based eye programme becomes integrated into the policy of the government of Osun state. As a result of intensive advocacy with the government, the following has been achieved:

1. Adoption of Annual School Eye Week by the State Universal Education Board. Essentially, there is a link between education and improved lifestyle in the sense that an educated individual is likely to experience better quality of life than those that are not education. The support provided to the education sector therefore contributes to SDG 1, which aims to reduce poverty.

SDGs 5: Gender equality

Nigeria is primarily a patriarchal society, and this is responsible for high incidents of violence against women and girls. CAI4SR’s intervention in this regard targets addressing the issue of gender-based violence. This is being achieved through the provision of counseling and free legal services to violated individuals to seek redress in court. By working with Lawyers who work on pro bono basis, this has resulted in few judgements in favour of the beneficiaries of the scheme. The microenterprise skills development and soft loan provided to widows as a source of empowerment has strengthen their capacity to take decision and take charge of their lives.

SDGs 6: Clean water and sanitation

The provision of potable water has continued to be a serious challenge for government. It is no secret that individuals even in the city have to source for their source of water. In addition, open defecation practice is rife posing in big threat of the possibility of an epidemic. However, rural communities are mostly been affected by lack of potable water and open defecation. Consequently, CAI4SR embarked on rural water provision by sinking in communities that were not easy to reach. This has led to the sinking of 5 Boreholes in 5 communities in this state. In addition, the organisation also embarked on aggressive awareness raising campaign on open defecation. This has resulted in a general improvement in the lives of the community people, most especially women.

SDGs 8: Decent work and economic growth

Micro credit support has created an opportunity for community women to engaged in productive ventures. As a result, they are living mor independent life. This has also reflected in their ability to take decisions, most especially regarding their sexual and reproductive health, which aligns with Goal 3 of the SDGs.

SDGs 10: Reduced inequality

The intersections between inequality, social exclusion and poverty has attracted global attention. Inequality has a high propensity for resulting in poverty. There are groups in society that experience widespread exclusion, deprivation and consequently poverty. Women, children and persons with disabilities are among those that are not only socially excluded but also experience inequality. CAI4SR as part of efforts to address inequality has been working with the association of persons with disabilities to address existing legislations or lack of such legislation.

SDGs 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions Inclusive electoral system

Elections have become one of the major strategies for selecting those who are to rule in contemporary human society. This is based on the need for the citizens to determine who conducts their affairs. After Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, several elections have been conducted both general and state and local government elections. These elections have also been fraught with a lot of irregularities, which includes ballot stuffing, ballot snatching, hooliganism and most importantly vote buying. This has made voters to have apathy and consequently low participation in election. CAI4SR has continued to play prominent roles in election participation.

The organisation partners with key electoral management body (EMB), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to participate in community mobilization/awareness raising, election observation as well as promoting the inclusion of vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities in the political and electoral processes. Our role in this regard has been enhanced by vast knowledge of critical stakeholders at the community and national levels. CAI4SR has also continued to work with the Association of Persons with Disabilities, the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities in Osun state to facilitate the passage of the State Disability Law.