TDH Seeks Stronger Collaboration with Ondo NOA on Child Protection, Education Initiatives
19th November,2025
The Ondo State Directorate of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Tuesday hosted an advocacy team from Terres des Hommes (TDH), as the international child-focused organisation seeks deeper collaboration to strengthen ongoing child protection and education interventions across the state.
The delegation, led by the Ondo State Coordinator of TDH, Mr. John Akinpelu, included Mrs. Opeyemi Akran, Project Supervisor for Imafon community in Akure North Local Government Area—one of the three pilot locations currently benefiting from TDH’s intervention.
Mr. Akinpelu noted that although TDH has worked globally for more than six decades, its formal entry into Ondo State began in 2024, marking a new phase in child-focused humanitarian and development work in the region.
He described TDH as “Switzerland’s leading child relief agency with over 60 years of experience supporting vulnerable children and families in more than 30 countries,” guided by a vision of a world where all children flourish free from exploitation, with full respect for their health, justice, dignity, and security.
Since commencing operations in Nigeria in 2008, TDH has implemented programs across the Northeast, North Central, Southwest, and South-South regions, touching critical areas such as health, nutrition, child protection, education, gender-based violence, WASH, and livelihoods. In Ondo State alone, the organisation has supported over 450 students through full school registration and payment of education-related expenses within the last two years of implementation.
He emphasised that TDH prioritises sustainable, community-driven initiatives aimed at strengthening child welfare and protection systems, while calling for deeper partnership with NOA, particularly in community sensitisation, mobilisation, and outreach.
Responding, the NOA State Director, Mr. James Adekunle, applauded TDH for its commitment to child protection and education. He reaffirmed the Agency’s readiness to collaborate, stressing that NOA’s widespread structure positions it as a strategic partner for community-level engagement.
Mr. Adekunle also highlighted NOA’s ongoing National Identity Project, which prioritises child education, civic values enlightenment, and the development of localised animation content to promote national ideals among Nigerian children.
Both organisations concluded the visit with a shared commitment to building a strong partnership that will boost child protection efforts, improve educational opportunities, and support vulnerable children—particularly those at risk of Child labour in communities across Ondo state.
