Devatop Centre for Africa Development has held its second Community Influencers Review Meeting of 2026, bringing together individuals who are helping to raise awareness and promote the protection of Child Domestic Workers (CDWs) within their communities. The meeting, which took place on Wednesday, July 23, 2026, brought together 26 Community Influencers from Adosoba, Okoko, Ijegun, and Isashi communities across Amuwo-Odofin and Ojo Local Government Areas of Lagos State.
The gathering created an opportunity for the Community Influencers to reflect on the work they have been doing within their communities, particularly their efforts to create awareness about the rights of Child Domestic Workers and encourage communities to play an active role in protecting them from maltreatment and exploitation. To further strengthen their understanding of how to respond to safeguarding concerns, DEVATOP engaged the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) for a capacity-building session. Represented by Mr. Smart, the agency took participants through important safeguarding principles, including community reporting practices, their roles and responsibilities when concerns arise, safe documentation, and actions that should be avoided when responding to cases.
The CeCe Yara Child Advocacy Center, an implementation partner represented by Mr. Ajifowoke, also led a session on the role of Community Influencers in case reporting. Participants were guided on how to identify children who may be at risk or experiencing abuse, gather factual information, prioritize the safety of the child, avoid investigating cases themselves, and make use of the appropriate reporting channels. The meeting also provided an opportunity for DEVATOP to highlight the impact of the Community Influencers’ efforts so far. Through their different platforms and activities, the influencers have reached more than 576 community members, contributing to increased awareness and mobilization against the maltreatment of Child Domestic Workers in their communities.
During a group discussion, participants openly shared their experiences, lessons learned, challenges, and recommendations. Their contributions helped shape discussions around the next steps and how community engagement could be strengthened going forward. Looking ahead, the Community Influencers also identified areas within their communities that have not yet been reached. They mapped out these locations, identified priority groups that need to be engaged, and proposed activities that could help extend awareness and project activities to more people.
As the meeting came to an end, DEVATOP commended the Community Influencers for their continued dedication and reminded them of the qualities that make community influence meaningful and effective, empathy, commitment, genuine interest in the well-being of others, and perseverance. More than just a review meeting, the gathering provided an opportunity to celebrate progress, learn from shared experiences, and strengthen the capacity of Community Influencers to continue speaking up and taking action for the protection and well-being of Child Domestic Workers in their communities.
