EDUCATION / TEACHING

The teaching field is a promising and rapidly expanding venture in Nigeria with benefits in terms of exposure and experience. This programme is designed to give opportunities to people interested in teaching to impact positively the lives of youngsters in primary, secondary and pre-school, in both the public & private sectors.

Teaching is for five days a week from Monday through to Friday. Children's ages range from infants to three years for the pre-school group, four to eleven for primary school and twelve to nineteen for secondary schools. Each session is split into three terms. A term is about 3 months.

PRE-SCHOOL / PRIMARY SCHOOL

SOS Children's Village Nigeria is a non-governmental, charitable welfare organisation founded by Hermann Gmeiner. It has two sites in Nigeria; Isolo, Lagos state and at Owu-Ijebu in Ogun state. The major aim is to provide a permanent home and give adequate education to orphans, abandoned children and children in need, until they are self sufficient and independent.

The goal is to give these children and young people a family they can identify with as their own. Over 216 children and young people live on the sites. There is a Pre-School and Primary school on site at Owu-Ijebu in Ogun state, and a vocational centre where skills such as leather works, sewing, catering, and crafts are taught. Secretarial studies and computer skills are taught at Isolo center Lagos state. At Owu-Ijebu center, children live in a family setting under the protection of the SOS Mother. The SOS children are raised like brothers and sisters. Each SOS family lives in a home of it's own. Volunteers can teach children at both the pre-school and primary levels in the following areas: elementary education, basic kindergarten subjects and youth vocational skills. At Isolo center the youths can be taught vocational skills.

Sample project:

Subjects to teach include the sciences, English, mathematics, sports, health, handicrafts, art, etc. at the pre school and primary levels.

JUNIOR SECONDARY/ SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

Louisville Girl's High School was founded January 11, 1988 and is run by the sisters of St. Louis. It is a Catholic Girls Boarding School in a quiet community in Ijebu-Ife. The school has both Junior and Senior Secondary Schools with over 500 students and over 50 teachers.

Sample project:

Teach a wide range of subjects in the secondary and senior secondary levels. Subjects to be taught include:

• Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology
• English
• Geography
• French
• Agricultural Science
• Food and Nutrition
• Economics
• Accounting/Business
• Technical Drawing

SOCIAL and WELFARE SERVICES

Nigeria like any other country in the world has less fortunate children who need attention, love and care. There are homes and orphanages available where volunteers could give a helping hand to the many children in need.

Sample Project:

Ibadan Home for Motherless Babies is located at Oritamefa, Ibadan in Oyo State, in the southwestern part of Nigeria. The home is a place where the motherless and abandoned babies are cared for until they are about three years of age, after which they can begin schooling. The home currently has about 30 babies although it can accommodate up to 50 babies. It has 5 wards with all necessary facilities. Interested volunteers can assist in taking care of the babies, teaching, feeding and playing with them, etc.

In Nigeria we have physically challenged people in our midst who need proper care and attention, training & special education. We have homes and schools that cater to them. Volunteers who are specially trained in these area will be needed.

Sample project:

The Home for Handicapped Children Ijokodo was founded in 1964 by a Canadian couple, Mr. and Mrs. Pateyi, when they saw the growing need to help handicapped children by giving them necessary care.

HEALTH CARE:

Because of rapid population growth, the spread of HIV, and poor maternal and child health, there are non-governmental organizations (NGOs) whose primary focus is to improve the quality of life of the population. They provide qualitative community based health programs addressing serious health problems, and educate the people on their health behaviour. Volunteers can take part in public education campaign programmes, research work, data collection and analysis.

Sample project

ARFH is an organisation established in 1986. Its mission is to improve the quality of life of the population through innovative approaches to reproductive and family health care delivery as well as women's development. It works in collaboration with other research units, hospitals and centres for development and population activities.

ARFH has clinics in Nigeria and has established a multipurpose youth development centre that provides clinical and diagnostic services for sexually transmitted diseases.

ARFH also initiates and implements adolescent reproductive health programmes and provides counselling and education services. They also provide life-planning education training to in-school and out-of-school adolescents on health issues.