How Shuwargwe Damak is using the Arm the Child Foundation to Educate IDPs
Not every hero wears a cape. Some people go out and make a difference in the lives of IDPs, such as Shuwargwe Damak and her NGO, the Arm the Child Foundation.
The refugee crisis is one of Nigeria’s growing issues. The number of refugees and IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) is increasing in nearly every region of Nigeria. Years of insurgency by Niger Delta Militants and Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen, and other players have resulted in a large number of people, including hundreds of thousands of children, being displaced and forced to live in camps.
Of course, education and feeding are key issues in these camps. If measures are not taken, I think that our largest challenge in Nigeria in the next 30 years will be the refugee situation, since there will be a large demography of ignorant individuals with violent psychological scars.
Shuwar and her friends seemed to recognise the need as well, and the Arm the Child Foundation was established. Shuwar was interviewed, and there is so much to learn from her!
Hello Shuwar. Please briefly tell us about yourself.
I am Shuwargwe Damak a graduate of Babcock University, with a Bachelor’s degree in International Law & Diplomacy. I am a very empathetic and driven young lady who tries to explore the things I am passionate about and build on them. My passion for child development led me to start up a Non-governmental organization, Arm The Child Foundation founded to deliver quality education to and improve the welfare of internally displaced and vulnerable children.
Outside the NGO, I’m involved in many other things including fashion. I run a clothing line, Maxi Stitches, a female clothing brand that designs and produces maxi dresses for women (the interviewee photo is one of her own designs! Amazing). My clothing line has grown and garnered so much attention that I was nominated for the SME 25 under 25 awards in 2017 under the category of fashion and I have been featured in foremost Nigerian dailies including Business day.
What led to the formation of Arm the Child Foundation? What circumstances and thoughts led to it?
Passion.
In 2017 I and members of a book club I belong to visited an orphanage on children’s day and developed an interest in volunteering to teach them English having noticed their poor communication skills. However, I found out they were enrolled in schools so I decided to take them to IDP camps instead. But before taking it to IDPs I decided to make it more systematic by organizing a summer school for IDPs and vulnerable children themed Arm The Child Project. Following the conclusion of the summer school, I decided to register Arm The Child Project as a Non-governmental organization, thus Arm The Child Foundation.
How has the journey so far been?
It’s been eye-opening and challenging. Every day there is an increasing need to do more. It has also been heartwarming, to watch the children smile each time we are around. We’ve grown from running one project to running three. We’ve been involved in child development projects. All in all, it has been a blissful journey.
How was the fundraising and campaign for your first summer camp? What were the responses of people and what does that reveal about our society?
The fundraising campaign was fruitful.
Quite a number of people responded. The outcome of their response suggests that a lot of people out there are willing to help notwithstanding the increasing rate of online fraud.
From your experience, how well do you think the Federal government has arrested the refugee problem?
No, I don’t think the government has done so much to address the refugee problem. They are not trying to restore peace to the Nation in order to reduce an increase in the number of refugees and the living condition of the already existing refugees.
What are the major challenges of education In the IDP camps you have visited?
- Unwillingness to learn on the part of children.
- Difficulty in sustaining their attention without the use of physical items such as sweets, biscuits, juice etc.
- Lack of proper building structures that can be used as classrooms.
What advice would you give young Nigerians out there who are trying to join worthy causes like Arm the Child Foundation?
My response is in the question. There are a lot of worthy causes out there to support and being a part of these worthy cases gives you a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment. A worthy cause may not be an orphanage home or IDP camp, it might be your neighbour or fellow student. Learn to extend a helping hand, learn to put your hands to use.
Shuwargwe Damak, as previously stated, was not required to wear a cape. She only needed to gather an army of young, passionate adults to teach some unfortunate children so that they could become something later in life. She has salvaged their futures and influenced who they will become.
Follow Shuwar on social media and stay informed on her different projects. Hopefully, the world will be a better place.
To contact Shuwargwe Damak you can use the following
Twitter: @shuwarr; @armthechildfoundation
Email: info@armthechildfoundation.org
Phone No: 07054511218
Website: www.armthechildfoundation.org
Thank you for reading you can check previous stories on heroes who don’t wear capes here.
You can also contact us for stories of similar people trying to bring change to their community sarautamag@gmail.com
