Conceptual and Operational Methodology for Mapping Orphan Population in Anambra State

CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATIONAL METHODOLOGY FOR
MAPPING ORPHAN POPULATION IN ANAMBRA STATE.
A proposal presented by Anumba Joseph Uche to:
The Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Anambra State.

6th September 2012.

Introduction.
It is a known fact that the Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development is
a reputable Ministry under the Anambra State Government due to its landmark and quest in
improving the state and quality of life of women. It is also lauded for its role in handling all
matters relating to the total well-being and development of the Anambra child by giving
visibility to children, coordinating activities, monitoring progress and promoting a
comprehensive and integrated agenda for the realization of children’s rights. To foster its
agenda on the wellbeing of children, the child development department of the Ministry carries
out its own mandate and tasks especially as it regards the Care and support of the orphans.

Citing the 2008 Situation Assessment and Analysis on Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC)
in Nigeria, a survey conducted by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social development with
the support of UNICEF and USAID revealed that no fewer than 17.5 million children could be
classified as orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria. Furthermore it revealed that one tenth
of Nigerian Children are orphans translating to about 7.3 million in Nigeria. It won’t be wrong
to hypothesize that between then and now; these figures may have changed (increased)
significantly. Statistics has it that 39% of children aged between 5-14 years are engaged in child
labour; 43% of women between the ages of 20-24 were married or in union before they were
18 years old (UNICEF, 2006). Interviews with children living or working on Nigerian Streets
indicate that up to 40% may have been trafficked (ILO-IPEC, 2001). These figures go a long way
to prove the worsening vulnerability in Nigeria. These children are definitely at risk as they are
exposed to untold hardships due to the selfish motives of inconsiderate adults.

Although child traffickers have unleashed terror on the children for a very long time especially
via orphanages/ motherless babies homes around the country, it is become pertinent that
measures to checkmate their activities be employed. Acknowledging the role of the Child
Development and Welfare unit of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in
Anambra State in partnership with other Agencies / organisations in streamlining the activities
of orphanages/ Motherless Babies Home in Anambra State thus in its quest to making Anambra
State Zero tolerant to any form of child abuse and exploitation, new measures needs to be
adapted and implement to foster the security and wellbeing of children in the State especially as
it regards Orphan Children living in orphanages/motherless babies Home. This is so because
children in such institutions have become easy targets/preys of ill-hearted individuals and even
persons in charge of running the affairs of the institutions.

It is with reference to the aforementioned citings that this proposal is presented with a view of
aiding the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development curb the menace of Child
trafficking via monitored tracking as well as monitoring the development and welfare of
children living in orphanages in Anambra State. This proposal is a draft copy and the content
thereof is a template subject to modification based on the Ministry’s existing approach on the
subject matter with reference to the Author.
Conceptual & Operational Methodology for Mapping Orphan Population in Anambra State. (By Anumba Joseph Uche).
© 2012 Page 1

Aims and Objectives.
Bearing in mind that this proposal at the current stage is mainly applicable to Registered
Orphanages and Motherless Babies Home in Anambra State (ROMHA) under the Ministry of
Women Affairs and Social Development which oversees the activities of such institutions, the
essence of mapping the orphan population fosters holistic child development that clusters on the
pillars of rights of the child which includes survival, protection and participation of the child.
Thus, some of the core aims/objective of the conceptual and operational methodology for
mapping Orphan population in Anambra State are:

1. Have ideal / comprehensive information of the extent of the issue (orphan population) in
ROMHA.

2. Monitor the progress and development of such children in all spheres especially in terms
of health service delivery/ accessibility.

3. Serve as a referendum for pre and post adoption surveillance / monitoring.

4. Monitor the activities of the Orphanages/Motherless Babies Home in a bid to evaluate
and investigate cases of any form of child abuse, trafficking or other social misdemeanor
constituting danger to the lives of the children.

5. Epidemic Projections and forecasting.

6. Easy identification of problems/ issues in ROMHA so as to ascertain how to plan
intervention services or programs as well as where to deploy such services.

7. Scaling up and advocacy in ROMHA

8. Research (sampling frame).

9. Easy and efficient mode of record/data repository (registry services) of subject matters as
it relates the Ministry.

10. In a broader perspective, this will have a positive ripple effect on how to tackle key
issues that involves vulnerable children in different communities of the state, reducing
the menace of street begging in major cities, forestalling cases of destitution, prostitution
and obnoxious practices against women; as such giving a glimpse to the situation of
women and physically challenged children thereby reducing incidence of gender based
violence. Furthermore it is anticipated that this approach(s) will also aid in implementing
Social Care and Rehabilitation Programs (SCARP) as well as improvement of data bank in
the PRS department.

© 2012 Page 2

Conceptualization for Mapping the Orphan population in ROMHA.
The concept of mapping the orphan population is strategized in three distinct but interrelated
stages namely:

S1 – Stage One (The Fundamental Approach).
S2 – Stage Two (The Advance Approach).
S3 – Stage Three (Final analysis and implementation; The Holistic Approach)

S1 – The Fundamental Approach: this stage constitutes activities such as pre-mapping modalities
that will serve in field data collection with the objective of developing a concise comprehensive
demographic, geographic and anthropometry module as well as other key details of ROMHA.
The goal of S1 is to aid in creation of baseline data for subsequent project implementation,
surveillance and monitoring. This is a prerequisite for Stage two (S2) which will be explained
better in the operational methodology.

However it is important to note that every stage has its own set of tools (well-structured forms &
materials)

The tools needed for this stage (S1) are:

i. Tool 01 – Identification of Foci sites (ROMHA).
ii. Tool 02 – Basic information of Orphanages under study.
iii. Tool 03 – Bio data and welfare details of children in the orphanages.
iv. Tool 04 – Anthropometry module for the children in the orphanages.
v. Tool 05 – Summary sheet and data collation for S1.

S2 – The Advance Approach: this stage constitutes activities such as database development and
synthesis from tools used in S1, validation of integrated data, development of map
(demographic, epidemiological and anthropological). The goal of S2 is the actualization of the
aims and objectives 1 to 6 stated in the previous page of this proposal.

However, the tools needed for this stage is quite abstract and abstruse as it involves ICT
integration, statistical analysis and contemporary software/ database application packages. This
stage also requires expertise involvement for swift and fast actualization. At the moment, it is
hypothesized to be an unprecedented approach in the area of child surveillance, monitoring and
trafficking in Anambra State.

S3 – Final Analysis and Implementation: this stage constitutes validation of information on S2,
meta-analysis & triangulation of data, report writing and eventual usage of the results of the
mapping. At this stage, with a holistic approach via integration of other sectors and machineries,
there will be an actualization of all the aims and objectives of stipulated in this proposal.

However, aside the professional tools needed for this stage, a key determinant generally for their
actualization is ‘the commitment/ enthusiastic involvement’ of stakhanovites.

© 2012 Page 3

Operational Methodology.
Having highlighted the conceptualization for mapping the orphan population in ROMHA, the
operational methodology in simple terms refers to the scope and outline of working procedures
as well as how to apply stipulated tools and resources to realise the goal(s) of this project. Flow
Charts and tabular representation are used to describe the workflow and events sequel to
conceptual approaches highlighted above.

However, it is pertinent to note that this is designed as an on-going process subject to updates; as
such the operational methodology will be an addendum.

Conclusion.
This proposal is envisaged to be an aiding tool for the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social
Development. Though a template for the Child Development department of the Ministry as it
involves orphanage, in the long run and broader perspective it is sure to fast track the Ministry’s
overall short, medium and long term strategic goals if applied holistically with its existing
procedures and methodology. However, achievement of the aims and objective of this proposal
is intertwined on the interpretation and application of the data & information collated in the
aforementioned stages and stipulated operational methodology.

I will be delighted to clarify any issue to the best of my understanding as far as this proposal is
concerned.

Thank You.

ANUMBA JOSEPH UCHE

_____________________
anumbajoe@gmail.com
2348032173955

© 2012 Page 4

Conceptual and Operational Methodology for Mapping Orphan Population in Anambra State

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