Today and every day, hundreds of thousands of children will wake up with no prospect of a stimulating and life-enhancing school day ahead, facing hunger, hard work, ill-health and poverty as a result. Each of these children will never know the inside of a classroom, will never read a textbook and will never know the care of a good teacher. They will never experience the benefits of being able to count, read, develop life skills, and will miss out on the job opportunities and improved health afforded by a good quality education.
The majority of these children are girls, whose lives are likely to be burdened by the twin blights of early marriage and domestic labour.
HOM’s Education Programme seeks to provide educational opportunities for destitute children from extremely poor families who might otherwise be unable to go to school.
Throughout the school year, HOM also endeavours to ensure that children who do attend school do not have to sit in the classrooms with empty stomachs. Malnutrition and hunger lead to children getting less benefit from education, decreasing learning outcomes and increasing drop-out rates.
Since 2007, House of Mercy Children’s Home Lagos, Nigeria (HOM) has been catering for the needs of disadvantaged boys and girls through its four-fold activities: organisation of informal classes, school sponsorship, mobile kitchen and cloth distribution.
Videos of our Child Education Programme can be viewed on YouTube
Videos of our Child Beggar Programme are also available on YouTube
On September 8, 2016, House of Mercy Children’s Home, Lagos, Nigeria (HOM) marked International Literacy Day with the launch of a Children’s Library to foster the discovery and enjoyment of reading while raising awareness and advocating on behalf of children without access to education. The video of the Children’s Library is available on our YouTube channel.
On International Mother Language Day, February 21, 2020, House of Mercy Children’s Home, Lagos, Nigeria (HOM) published a video advocating for the right of all African children (out-of-school children, children from nomadic communities, children from linguistic, ethnic, or cultural minorities, refugees and displaced children, former child soldiers and other marginalised children, particularly in the rural areas) who have been excluded from educational opportunities, to education in their mother tongue. The Mother Tongue Education video can be viewed on our video gallery and on our YouTube channel.
On Children’s Day – Nigeria, May 27, 2021, House of Mercy Children’s Home, Lagos, Nigeria (HOM) launched an Education Sponsorship Programme for children from impoverished families in Ogun state.
In August 2021, we published a video promoting digital literacy skills for students while stressing the importance of Digital Literacy in Education.
On World Teachers’ Day, October 5, 2021, House of Mercy Children’s Home, Lagos, Nigeria (HOM) published a video paying tribute to all teachers whose passion and commitment to their profession and their students makes such a vital contribution to our society.
Within the limits of available funds, HOM will continue to make education for disadvantaged and excluded children a top priority.