In order to control the menace of child abuse in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, a non-governmental organization to champion the fight against the menace, Laide Lanre-Badmus Foundation Africa (LLB Foundation Africa) has been launched in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The Foundation, which will operate under three patterns of Discovery, Recovery and Re-integration, was launched on Tuesday at the Mauve 21 Event Centre, Adeoyo, Ring-Road, Ibadan.
Speaking at the press conference to herald the unveiling, the founder, Mrs. Laide Lanre-Badmus, disclosed that the purpose of the foundation is to give voice to the victims of child abuse irrespective of gender that had been threatened and bullied into silence by their perpetrators.
She noted that LLB Foundation Africa will offer the victims the opportunity to vent and heal, saying that a lot of them are carrying this baggage and have become very bitter and revengeful.
Laide Lanre-Badmus speaks further, “Gentlemen of the press, we are gathered here today for the official launch of Laide Lanre-Badmus Foundation Africa. This foundation has been a long-term passion for me to help in building emotional stability in emotionally broken children (boy & girl) with childhood dysfunctions just like me.
“Society stigmatizes victims when they speak out on their rape experience, and some mothers, aunties, and co will even shut their defiled kids up when they report the husband’s sexual abuse.
“That’s why I am baring it all out for the good of humanity and for other victims out there that had been threatened and bullied into silence by their perpetrators, not considering the emotional and mental damage it has on victims. You owe no abuser your silence!
“The sole purpose of the LLB Foundation is to offer these victims the opportunity to vent and heal, as a lot of them are carrying this baggage and have become very bitter and revengeful.
“Like our tagline says, “every child is a priority” stems from the belief that only the girl child can be abused, in our case, we are looking out for both the girl and the boy child. It will be shocking to note that the number of boys being abused is just slightly lower than the number of girls being abused. So this means boys are constantly abused as well.
“LLB Foundation would like to use this opportunity to call on UNICEF and the UN to also create the International Day of the Boy Child, just like the October 11 yearly celebration of the Girl Child. This beams more attention also on the Boy Child.”
Charging the parents and relatives of the victims to give them the opportunity to speak their mind, the founder said that this will go a long way in safeguarding them against the trauma.
“I am imploring parents to please stop threatening their children, don’t shut them up as most of these kids do not have any other persons to report to than their parents. They would rather keep bearing the trauma also getting into other bad things such as smoking, drugs etc. and eventually get addicted to them.
“As parents, every child must be your priority, it is very wrong to abandon a child because you are in a relationship. Calling your child your niece or cousin in the presence of the child can lead to mental disability and low self esteem.
“The reason why we founded LLC foundation is to reach out to every individual going through this kind of experience and rescue them by fighting for them.”
Mrs. Laide Lanre-Badmus, while noting that the foundation will work closely with security agencies and other like-minded non-governmental organizations, said that the task will be carried out in three patterns of Discovery, Recovery and Re-integration.
“Once a child is discovered, he/she will go through the recovery process while the re-integration stage is where we integrate the child back into the society and have access to the necessary life opportunities. We can assist such children with scholarship, empowerment, brand ambassador and the likes,” she said.
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