Jigsaw4u International, Nigeria 2010: The Children of Enugu

In 2010, Anne Davies, CEO of Jigsaw4u and Jigsaw4u International, returned to Nigeria to visit a leprosy colony in Enugu near Oji River, North-East of Lagos.
250 people live in the settlement with about 95 children and young people, all struggling with the impact of leprosy, the stigmatisation and discrimination for what is a curable disease given adequate medical treatment; as well as issues relating to poverty, education, and lack medical care.
During Anne's visit she delivered letters from pupils at Red Lane Primary School in Bolton, which is to be developed into a friendship scheme to help raise awareness of the issues facing the children and young people in Enugu. The responses also highlighted the need for access to education and opportunities for the children and young people of the colony. As such, Jigsaw4u International is now exploring ways to develop sponsorship schemes for trained professionals to sponsor students through secondary school, university, and sports academies.
Since the trip, the issues of child trafficking and malaria have also been highlighted as key concerns by the children and young people of Enugu.
Anne Davies and Jigsaw4u International are responding yet again by bringing together 45 young people aged 13-18 from the UK, Nigeria, and Ghana to gather research, hear accounts from other young people, and create an action plan to present to their individual governments to help raise awareness of just some of these issues. The participants will then decide upon a year-long community project to engage their schools with and make it an experience they can all share and contribute towards.
The Strong Voices conference will be hosted in Accra, Ghana from 24 to 31 July, 2011.
Your support is vital. As little as £5 a month will help sponsor a child, whilst £200 will pay for a young person to attend high school for a year. So please give whatever you can by visiting www.jigsaw4u.org.uk.
Thank you.