About First Step for Children Initiatives

Organization Profile

First Step Action for children Initiative (FIRST) is a child focused organization registered with the Cooperate Affairs Commission with the head quarters in Makurdi, Benue state Nigeria. The organization has functional offices in Adamawa, Benue and Nasarawa states in Nigeria. The offices are being coordinated by the functional secretariat in Makurdi Benue state headed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the program management team. FIRST was founded in 1998 as a community based organization called First Step Foundation Association (FSFA). The organization worked on several projects within the state expanding its scope across many Local Government Areas, and in February 2002 it became registered with the state Ministry of Women Affairs as an NGO. The association was established with a keen desire to assist rural families to improve the quality of lives of their children. Realizing that, young children have very close ties with their mothers in Nigeria, it became expedient to include women on the programs of the association. From the successes recorded, the Board of the organization was encouraged to apply for registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja. On December 19, 2008 the association was formerly registered by the Commission and had its name changed to the present First Step Action for Children.

Vision

FIRST envisions a society where children develop according to their full potentials.

Mission

FIRST is committed to ensuring the holistic development of children and youths by expanding their opportunities and choices in order to enable them utilize their full potential in life and by working to remove all impediments to women development which often has reciprocal effect on the lives of children.

Values

Accountability: We believe that we should be accountable, responsive, and transparent to all that we serve and those who support us.

Continuous Learning: First Step learning is central to our work. We continually review, refine, adapt our methods and our thinking to make sure our work is sustainable, innovative relevant and effective Team work: Striving for quality, innovation and diversity

Love: An affectionate feeling of care towards one another and those we support

Respect: Respect for a diverse working environment? Handwork: We believe that we should be doing our work well and seriously GOAL To promote the recognition and acceptance of the rights of women and children and ensure that children have the best possible prospects for survival, growth, development, protection and participation.

Our Strength

FIRST enjoys the privilege of working with the government, CSO and communities in a coordinated manner both directly, and through local partners to address issues of HIV/TB/Malaria prevention, impact mitigation for women, children and young people. We also have a large pool of volunteers and service providers across states and communities who have varied skills in developmental humanitarian work, HIV/AIDS/TB and sexual reproductive health programs and community engagement to reduce disease burdens in Nigeria and also raise awareness through strategic partnerships and collaboration with health and education sector stakeholders on importance of WASH and advocate to improve the quality of education.

Goal

To promote the recognition and acceptance of the rights of women and children and ensure that children have the best possible prospects for survival, growth, development, protection and participation.

Focus Area

FIRST is a child focused organization that leverages on community participation and involvement to address issues around health, education, governance, livelihood, gender and human right, mental health and research.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

Objectives

To promote comprehensive Early Childhood Care and Development for children aged 0-8 years as the foundation for the holistic development of the Nigerian child.

To facilitate the acquisition of basic education by all those eligible with a particular focus on the girl child in Nigeria.

To promote wider stakeholder participation in the implementation of international, national and state conventions and laws, which seek to protect the rights of women and children in Nigeria.

To facilitate community action on HIV/AIDS/TB/Malaria prevention, care and support and impact mitigation.

To support strategies which seek to increase opportunities for youth empowerment, with particular emphasis on the girl-child.

To raise awareness through strategic intervention in health and education that will support citizens’ engagement.

To facilitate the community action on communal crisis and other emergency response, early recovery and livelihood.

To enhance the smooth operation of FIRST as an organization through the employment of systematic management operations, procedures and practices.

Strategic Approaches

Evidence based advocacy, policy engagement and influencing
Demand creation and community mobilization/engagement
Partnership and Capacity development
Information Education Communication (IEC)
Behavior change communication (BCC)

Service Delivery

Participatory monitoring and evaluation

PAST AND PRESENT DONORS

FIRST STEP has collaborated with the following international development partners and government institutions

Water Aid Nigeria
Catholic Relief Service-SMILE Project
NELA-NECAIN
United Purpose
Action Aid Nigeria
Pact Nigeria
Association for Reproductive and Family Health -ARFH-CSS project)
Benue State Water and Sanitation Agency (BERWASSA)
Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria(CISHAN)
Association of Civil society for Malaria Immunization and Nutrition(ACOMIN)
Civil Society Action Coalition for education for All(CSACEFA)
Center for Integrated health service (Supported by Center for Disease control-CDC
Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria(IHVN) supported by CDC
US Embassy
Australian Embassy
Vitamin Angels

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

FIRST operates under a two-tier governance structure, consisting of a five (5) Member Board of trustees and a seven (7) man management team. The board members are made up of professionals from relevant fields including health, education, administrative and finance. The Trustees provide strategic planning and policy guidance, while the management implements programs and projects on behalf of the organization. The states offices have team leads/ project managers that coordinate its activities with dedicated staff and volunteers. Head quarters is headed by CEO and supported by program management team. The strategies and activities of FIRST are also guided by its Constitution, its Articles of Association, its internal policies, the Nigerian National Law, and a three-year Strategic Plan.