'Twas battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old
violin,
but he held it up with a
smile.
"What am I bid, good
people", he cried,
"Who starts the bidding
for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar,
Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes
it three?"
"Three dollars once,
three dollars twice, going for three," But, no,
From the room far back a gray
bearded man
Came forward and picked up the
bow,
Then wiping the dust from the
old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and
sweet
As sweet as the angel sings.
The music ceased and the
auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet
and low,
Said "What now am I bid
for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with its'
bow.
"One thousand, one
thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, Who makes
it three?"
"Three thousand once,
three thousand twice,
Going and gone", said he.
The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
"We just don't
understand."
"What changed its'
worth?"
Swift came the reply.
"The Touch of the Masters
Hand."
"And many a man with life
out of tune
All battered and bruised with
hardship
Is auctioned cheap to a
thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin
A mess of pottage, a glass of
wine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going
twice,
He is going and almost gone.
But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never
can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the
change that is wrought
By the touch of the Masters' hand.
Great poetry has a way of touching our souls in a way that nothing else can
and this is one such example. In this
inspirational and captivating poem, ‘The Touch of the Master’s Hand’, also known
as ‘The Old Violin’, Myra Brooks Welch eloquently affirms that all persons are
of value and have great potential, even those regarded by society as worthless.
A girl child’s eyes sparkle because she
imagines a world replete with things that astonish her and a future that is
good; but the harsh realities of life often rob her of everything, including
her imagination. Like the old violin in this
beautiful poem, many girl children are battered, scarred and rejected.
In our work with needy and vulnerable children,
we witness how, despite the strong willingness of girls to learn, their
education is often interrupted by a sum of poverty-driven factors as well as
traditional or religious beliefs. These
are often the children who have to beg on the street or work to provide for
their parents and younger siblings or stay home to take care of children, the
sick and the elderly.
The girl child is often denied her human rights
and sometimes her basic needs. She is at increased risk of exploitation and
other harmful practices like female genital mutilation and cutting that
negatively affect her survival, development and ability to achieve her full
potential.
The future also looks bleak for girls
victimised by early marriage, being more vulnerable to maternal deaths due to
under-developed bodies that are not fully developed to go through the process
of pregnancy and childbirth without adverse impacts.
Violence against girls is prevalent in times of
social and political upheaval, crisis and conflict. The abduction of over 250
girls from the Government Secondary School in Borno State in the Northeast
region of Nigeria by Islamic insurgents and the subsequent use of girls as
soldiers and suicide bombers is one such example.
It goes without saying that since girls are
particularly vulnerable, they require additional protection. The girl child is
one of the 12 critical areas in the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action, which
recommends elimination of all forms of discrimination and abuse of girls and
protection of their rights.
The advocacy for the girl child is not only
about the girl child but also about society as a whole. Like the story of the
violin, everyone benefits; the person who is touched, the person who touches,
and all those who listen to the unforgettable melody. The empowerment of the
girl child through education and skills development is a key to improving the
situation of her family and her community. An educated mother has the potential
of breaking the vicious cycle of poverty, illiteracy and ignorance.
The fact that many girls drop out of school
mainly because of poverty requires that more investment be made in providing
the right conditions including free education and support to poor families. In countries
where the free education system is well established, the cost burden of uniforms
or basic school supplies is passed on to parents; and this has had an adverse impact
on enrolment and retention. Every government has the responsibility to provide
free, quality basic education so that no child will be denied the opportunity
to complete a good quality education because it is unaffordable.
By using more government funds for educational
programmes and by effectively utilising international aid, developing countries
can ensure that education is free of tuition and other fees, and that
everything possible be done to reduce or eliminate costs such as those for
learning materials, uniforms and school meals.
Civic leaders, traditional rulers, religious
figures, the police, government administrators and other adults have an
important role to play in promoting and facilitating the empowerment of the
girl child but they can also constitute a problem if their comportment towards
girls is inappropriate in perpetuating discrimination, harassment, sexual
exploitation and stigmatization.
Making empowerment a reality for every girl requires
not only our resources and policies, but also our voices and actions. But more
than that, love, respect and support for girls must be a reality in all our homes,
schools and communities and not just empty words.
Bunmi
Awoyinfa
HOM
House of Mercy Children’s Home, Lagos (HOM) is actively involved in various charitable activities for street children, child beggars, child scavengers, children in crisis and other needy and vulnerable children. We strive to promote equal educational and skills development opportunities for girls.
House of Mercy Children’s Home, Lagos (HOM) is actively involved in various charitable activities for street children, child beggars, child scavengers, children in crisis and other needy and vulnerable children. We strive to promote equal educational and skills development opportunities for girls.
2006
Founded in October 2006, HOM started off by
assisting homeless boys and girls living under the Adeniji Adele bridge in Lagos. The children were provided with free meals,
clothing, emergency medical care and drug counselling.
2007
HOM began to cater for child scavengers at the
Igando garbage dumpsite in Lagos. The children were provided with free meals
and first aid services.
HOM also began to cater for child beggars at
the beggars’ camp in the Ebute-Metta area in Lagos. A regular mobile school was
established for the children. They were also provided with free meals, clothes
and first aid services.
2008
HOM commenced a project to “Bring Education to
the Doorsteps” of unschooled child beggars by conducting literacy classes for
200 child beggars, 55 percent of whom were girls, at the beggars’ camp. The
non-formal education programme made education available and accessible to children
withheld from school because they had to beg to provide income for their
disabled or impoverished parents. The children were divided into 3 classes:
kindergarten, primary, and school drop outs.
2010
HOM initiated a school sponsorship programme
for disadvantaged children, in particular girls, whose families could not
afford to send them to school. A considerable number of child beggars attending
the literacy classes were channelled into the mainstream educational system through
the school sponsorship programme.
2011
In March 2011, HOM set up a home for homeless
street boys in order to rescue and rehabilitate street children living under bridges,
at motor parks and on the beaches in Lagos.
2013
In January 2013, HOM established a home for
girls at-risk.
2015
HOM extended the reach of its services to child
beggars in Ibadan, Oyo State by providing free nutritious meals, clothing,
shoes, diapers and educational assistance.
2016
HOM distributed insecticide-treated mosquito nets to needy and vulnerable children in Lagos State and Oyo State along with the appropriate training and use of the nets.
2016
HOM launched a Children’s Library on International Literacy Day.
2017
Outreach programme for children at Radev Early Education Centre, Leper Colony, Iberekodo, Abeokuta in Ogun State.
2018
Publication of a video entitled ‘Stop Child Abuse‘ in English and French aimed at protecting children from childhood sexual abuse including incest, physical abuse and neglect; combating the various forms of injustice, violence and deprivation inflicted upon so many children in different settings (home, school, community, religious institutions, humanitarian crises etc.); and changing mindsets and social norms that tolerate violence against children. Toll Free Rescue Lines for child abuse and domestic violence reporting and information on how to report suspected child abuse and neglect are available on our website.
2018
Launch of our « Africa, Wake Up! » campaign against poverty and injustice in English and French. Our video titled « Africa, Wake Up! » is available in our Video Gallery and also on YouTube.
2019
Publication of a video on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2019, showcasing the ground-breaking work being done by some of our partners in Democratic Republic of Congo.
2019
Launch of our « Africa, Wake Up! » campaign against poverty and injustice in Portuguese.
2019
Outreach programme with fun activities and donations of food items, hygiene kits, clothes, children’s shoes and school supplies to poor and disadvantaged children on Children’s Day, May 27, 2019.
2019
Launch of our « Africans United for Peace » campaign in response to the overwhelming Refugee/IDP crisis in Africa.
2020
Publication of a video on International Mother Language Day, February 21, 2020, advocating for the right of 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.
2020
Ogun State Outreach: Distribution of baby care items, food items, toiletries, hygiene kits and ankara fabrics to vulnerable children, destitute families, the elderly and disabled persons in Ogun State.
2020
Publication of a video on Child Hygiene and Sanitation in English, French and Portuguese on World Water Day, March 22, 2020.
2020
Publication of a video featuring a comprehensive compilation of Mental Health and Wellness Resources in English, French and Portuguese for Children, Youth and Adults.
2020
Publication of a video on International Workers’ Day, May 1, 2020, featuring resources in English, French and Portuguese focused on providing solutions to youth unemployment in Africa and related challenges.
2020
Publication of a video on Africa Day, May 25, 2020, featuring books by African authors, academics, experts and practitioners in English, French and Portuguese addressing the root causes of the challenges faced by the African continent and its people and providing practical solutions to each of the challenges.
2020
COVID-19 Relief: Distribution of washable and reusable cloth face masks, hygiene kits, shoes, clothing and food items to vulnerable children and destitute families.
2020
Publication of a video on the Day of the African Child, June 16, 2020, aimed at raising awareness about the important role that adults and communities play in supporting children and youth, especially those who are facing adverse circumstances.
2020
Publication of a video titled Justice and Reparations as a sequel to our videos on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Arab-led slavery of Africans and our Africa, Wake Up campaign against poverty and injustice. The Justice and Reparations video features resources in English, French and Portuguese by African, African-American, Afro-Brazilian, Guyanese, Martiniquan, Barbadian, Trinidadian, Afro-Iraqi historians, researchers, experts and writers advocating for justice and reparations for victims of the Arab-led slavery of Africans, the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the Herero and Nama genocide in Namibia, the genocide in the Congo Free State, conquest, carnage, apartheid and colonialism. #LestWeForget
2020
World Food Day Outreach on October 16, 2020: Distribution of food items to residents of the Old People’s Home and poor and vulnerable children and destitute families. A playlist of our food distribution activities on World Food Day is available on our YouTube channel.
2020
Publication of a video on Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security, October 30, 2020 featuring books by African authors, academics, experts and practitioners in English and French focused on providing practical solutions to meeting the food security needs of all Africans.
2020
Infection Prevention and Control: Publication of a video to raise awareness about the importance of hand-washing with soap and water as one of the most effective and affordable health interventions.
2021
Launch of our African Renaissance initiative.
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021
HOM contributed to ongoing efforts to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to children and families in crisis in the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, Ebola affected nations, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Northeast region of Nigeria in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively.
