This component of the Prevention Plus (P+) project is designed to increase awareness on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and their preventive mechanism through a monthly spotlight series on NTDs in Nigeria. The Following NTDs will be spotlighted:

1. Onchocerciasis (River Blindness)
2. Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis)
3. Soil Transmitted Helminth (Intestinal Worms)
4. Trachoma
5. Schistosomiasis (Snail Fever)
6. Hansen Disease (Leprosy)
7. Buruli Ulcer (Bairnsdale)
8. Human African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping Sickness)
9. Snakebite envenoming

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are communicable diseases associated with poverty and prevalent in areas that have poor sanitation, inadequate or no safe water sources and substandard housing conditions. NTDs are estimated to affect over one billion people in the world, majority of who are living in developing countries. In Nigeria, it is estimated that 122 Million persons are at risk of one or more of these NTDs.

However, knowledge of NTDs and control efforts in Nigeria remain low. A study that sampled respondents in Abuja, Nigeria revealed this inference. Onchocerciasis was the disease respondents showed the highest knowledge about with 50.8%. Less than 25% had knowledge of leprosy control, trachoma, soil-transmitted helminths infection and schistosomiasis. This number was fewer for other NTDs including leishmaniasis (6.1%), Buruli ulcer (6.9%), and Chagas diseases (8.5%).

Keep Girls in School project in designed to promote girls’ education and reduce the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, through sponsorship of school fees, purchase of uniform and learning materials for indigent girls to enable them to gain an education. 

In line with the goal of the project, we currently sponsor 10 indigent girls in two schools in Abuja – Government Secondary School, Kabusa and Government Secondary School, Wuse, Zone 6.  As part of the project, the Active Voices pay their school charges and purchased learning materials for 5 indigent girls from each of the adopted schools. 

In 2019, Active Voices incorporated a mentorship component into the “Keep Girls in School” Project

The Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) project is a periodic project of Active Voices designed to provide information and MHM supplies through partnerships and self-implemented projects to enable women and girls handle their menstruation healthily and with dignity. Active Voices has reached over a thousand women and girls with information and menstrual supplies.

To mark the 2019 Menstrual Hygiene Management, Active Voices in partnership with Strong Enough Girls’ Empowerment Initiative to held a week-long program on menstruation in selected Junior Secondary Schools in the Federal Capital Territory  with support from UNESCO Regional Office Abuja.