The Rivers State Government has partnered with Both Ends Believing (BEB) International and the Association of Orphanages and Homes Operators in Nigeria (ASOHON) to digitise the monitoring and management of orphanages and children’s homes across the state.
The tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed through the Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, provides for the deployment of BEB’s Children First Software (CFS), a digital platform designed to provide real-time information on children’s homes and the welfare of children in their care.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Port Harcourt, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Lauretta Davies-Dimkpa, said the platform would address the limitations of the existing monthly reporting system, which often failed to capture developments in the homes as they occurred.
She said the software would give the Ministry access to real-time data and improve its ability to respond promptly to issues affecting children’s welfare.
Davies-Dimkpa assured the partners of the Ministry’s commitment to implementation, disclosing that a dedicated team had been established to drive the process.
BEB Nigeria Country Manager, Silas Gyang-Nyam, said the organisation was providing the software free of charge, alongside two desktop computers, a multifunction printer, photocopier, scanner and a Starlink internet kit.
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He added that internet service would be free for 13 months through BEB’s partnership with Starlink, after which users would enjoy a discounted subscription. Internet facilities would also be extended to children’s homes across the state to support real-time data transmission.
Gyang-Nyam said BEB would develop an implementation plan and train government officials and other users, while its South-South zonal representative based in Rivers would provide technical support.
He said the initiative would strengthen accountability, improve child protection, help combat child trafficking and support efforts to ensure vulnerable children receive adequate care.
The BEB official also assured that children’s information would be protected in line with relevant data protection laws, noting that the organisation was registered with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission.
Speaking for ASOHON, its South-South Zonal Coordinator, Koko Bassey, described the initiative as a major improvement on the manual system of keeping records in orphanages.
She said the platform would enable officials to access accurate, real-time information on children’s homes from anywhere, while the donated equipment and internet facilities would address connectivity challenges and improve coordination among the Ministry, development partners and home operators.
