The Nation Newspaper

Tag: empowerment

  • Group plans workshop on women empowerment

    Women across Africa under the aegis of Women Building Communities (WBC), are coming together in the UK, to chart a new cause for the development of individuals and communities within the continent.

    The event, according to the Media/Public Relations Director of Women and Youth Empowerment Network (WOYEN), Mrs Rashidat Hassan, the event will hold from November 24 and 28. The event, she said, is jointly organised by WOYEN and Network for Development, a development training facilitation partnership between ICONNECTUK Limited and Mulirahd Group in Dubai and Nigeria respectively.

    WBC is a development intervention project with an initial five-year plan aimed at mobilising and enhancing the capacity of women and other stakeholders in building African communities through increased and effective women involvement.

    The group said: “The goal of this five-year plan is to achieve community development in Africa led by inspired and skilled women.”

    The organisation, along with other partners, shall work hard to   inspire 20 women across Africa yearly for them to take up development initiatives. The intention is to develop them the needed skills and capacity for embarking on effective projects within their communities.

    The group will also empower the women by creating avenues for networking and collaboration with those in the Diaspora. It will establish links and provide information on how to harness opportunities both within and outside their localities. Part of the strategies is to achieve this will be to bring together three major stakeholders in community development, community women and leaders, the Diaspora and international development organisations for the building of community development capacity among women in Africa. It will motivate the women by celebrating their achievements and awarding deserving individuals within the African communities through the organisation of a yearly award as part of the WBC event tagged Mother Africa Award (MAA) for Community Development.

    “The campaign hopes to spread to many parts of communities in Africa through our train-the-trainer toolkit. Participants would be trained to use the WBC capacity building to train the trainer,” she said.

    The toolkits are expected to train at least additional three women in their own local community.

    The programme, which has been strategically scheduled to debut in London, United Kingdom, is a strong indication of how Africans, particularly women of African origin, in the UK are determined to use the opportunity of their exposure in the UK and other developed parts of the world, to take Africa out of the shackles of under-development and bring about sustainable community development in African countries.

    WOYEN reiterates that the WBC is part of the organisation’s commitment to the advancement of women and youths wherever they are across the globe. This is because the world can only enjoy peace and unity when people’s lives and existence within communities are enhanced and valuable.

    The organisation, therefore calls on all stakeholders and people interested in African development to join in the campaign of building African communities through inspired and skilled women.

  • Empowerment of graduates: A necessity

    As the level of unemployment increases, the number of graduates seeking jobs in the labour market had been growing over the years. Many Nigerians attribute the challenges to lack of empowerment programmes by governments.

    Findings reveal that unemployment rate in Nigeria increased to 23.90 per cent in 2011 from 21.10 per cent in 2010. Unemployment rate in Nigeria averaged 14.60 per cent in 2006 until 2011, reaching an all-time high of 23.90. According to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), no fewer than 5.3 million youths are jobless in the country, while 1.8 million graduates enter the labour market every year.

    The nation is faced with these challenges, in spite of its endowment in natural and human resources. Nigeria is among the largest oil producing countries in the world. Ironically, it is one of the poorest countries in terms of standard of living. World Bank statistics, last year, put the number of Nigerians living in destitution at 100 million, while its latest report puts Nigeria among the five poorest counties in the world. In terms of underdevelopment, Nigeria is among countries of world topping the statistics of the world’s underdeveloped countries.

    Given the challenges pose by unemployment, poverty and hunger, Nigeria is still battling with other man-made calamities, such as political instability, insecurity and lack of functional institutions to enhance democracy.

    Our politics has become a “do-or-die” affair. The quest for power has resulted in violent changes. Today, unemployed graduates have become tools of violence, hired and used by politicians to launch attacks on their opponents. Criminal activities are increasing daily across regions. Kidnapping, senseless killings and suicide bombings have become the order of the day. Unfortunately, jobless youths and unemployed graduates are key players in these criminal acts.

    Our leaders need to engage the youth in productive ventures to have a decent and secured society. Entrepreneurship programmes and skills development courses have been introduced into the curriculum of the tertiary institutions. These programmes are aimed at making the youth productive and become partners in development. However, like the cases of many government initiatives, the entrepreneurship programmes are faced with challenges.

    Students are only thought the theoretical aspects of the entrepreneurship studies and left without the capabilities of putting what they are taught into practice. In a nutshell, there is inadequate practical equipment to train students in vocations.

    The efforts by Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), established by the Federal Government under the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in 1973 to assist in solving problems of lack of adequate practical skills for the employment of students, have yielded minimal or no results over the years.

    It is pertinent at this juncture to state clearly, that the task of producing well-grounded graduates is not dependent on lecturers only, government also have a role to play in this regard. Today, teachers at all levels are blamed for production of incompetent graduates. Rationally, governments are to provide the needed facilities, while teacher impact the knowledge and skills.

    Lack of conducive teaching and learning environments and inadequate research are among the challenges facing our education. In public institutions, laboratories are not well-equipped or are practically non-existent. For example, universities and polytechnics offer computer science courses without computer laboratories, let alone internet connectivity. Libraries have become stores for archaic materials. Hence, the poor quality of graduates is caused by shortage of learning resources and obsolete facilities.

    Aside the provision of adequate research and practical resources for the acquisition of knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship, there is the need for the empowerment of students both materially and financially; this will enable them to be self-reliant. The worsening unemployment crisis is partly a reflection of government’s inability to design policies that will create more jobs, or provide enabling environments that could encourage graduates to be self-employed.

    Over the years, strategies which do not seem to be helping the situation have been put in place by government through the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), the Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P), Graduates Internship Scheme (GIS), with supports from Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), among others. Vocational trainings and skills acquisition programmes have been organised and are still ongoing by these bodies to empower youths and unemployed graduates in different areas with the aim of alleviating the unemployment crisis.

    Yet, these programmes faced the same challenges. At the skills acquisition or training centers, challenges of unqualified or incompetent teachers and insufficient practical instruments are fast becoming rampant.

    As remedies to the growing crisis of unemployment, poverty and rise in crime rate, it is necessary for government to empower students while studying and after graduation. This can be achieved through the provision of sufficient research and practical resources in schools.

    Government should also introduce entrepreneurship courses and programmes in schools right from the elementary stages to advanced levels. Education is a prerequisite for any nation striving at development. The impact of education to national growth and development are immeasurable.

    Empowering a graduate does not necessarily means giving such person money. The best way to empower an educated person is to encourage him in diverse ways, especially by means of training.

    If government can strengthen its agencies and other empowerment programmes and initiatives to effectively train graduates in different vocational and technical skills, the crisis of unemployment will surely come to be a thing of the past in Nigeria. Therefore, the task of empowering graduates is a necessary to change the social rhythm and create a rewarding future for every youth.

     

    Ahmad, 400-Level Mass Comm., NSUK

     

  • Empowerment: Widows to protest naked

    The furore over last weekend’s failed empowerment programme organised by frontline businessman Chief Arthur Eze and First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan has not abated.

    Over 10,000 Southeast widows, who attended the event at the Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, the Anambra State capital, have threatened to march naked on the streets to protest the “fraud”.

    They alleged that the botched programme was a deceit by which the organisers used them for their political gains.

    A pro-Goodluck Jonathan group, For Jonathan (4J), organised the empowerment programme to garner support for the President.

    But the items were not distributed to them. Rather, they were allegedly given to the wives of politicians.

    The disappointed women returned to their homes without any of the items they saw from their seats at the event.

    Most of the widows left their homes as early as 7am and did not return until 10.30pm.

    The items displayed to the women included soap, sewing machines, grinders, bags of rice and beans.

    Some of the women alleged that they spent their hard earned money on fare to the event, adding that they did not know it was a deceit.

    Some of the widows, who spoke with our reporter yesterday in Awka, said they would march naked on the major streets in the state capital to show that the programme was a fraud.

    Although they spoke in confidence for security reasons, the widows said they would wear black in mock mourning of the organisers.

    One of them said: “When we were told, we thought it was real. What they did was to use us (widows) to canvass for votes for President Jonathan in 2015.

    “Our God is not sleeping. The God of widows will fight this battle for us. Even when we got to the Women Development Centre, where they said we should go yesterday, nothing happened. That was when it dawned on us that it was fake.

    “We are not blaming the governor’s wife, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano. But we are blaming those who organised the event, code-named empowerment for Southeast widows. Which widows?”

  • Council boosts local economy with empowerment programme

    Members of communities that make up Oriade Local Council Development Area of Lagos State have cause to thank God recently following a unique business empowerment programme embarked upon by the council aimed at alleviating the problems of the needy in the area.

    In recent weeks, Chairman of the council, Hon. Ibrahim Tunde Sanusi, has been on tour of wards in the council area to dispense items of empowerment as part of the council’s efforts to alleviate the suffering of the citizens.

    The programme tagged “Small Business Empowerment Fund Programme”, according to the council chief, aims at making funds available to indigent parents to enable them set up small businesses that will ensure daily income with which they will take care of their families.

    He said: “The LCDA embarked on this programme in order to help those who do not have enough wares in their shops so that they would be able to stock their shops with enough wares for sale during the Yuletide period. We reasoned that between September and October is the best period to help those who are into buying and selling to stock their shops with goods in readiness for December sales.

    “If we decide to empower them in November, cost of articles of trade would be on the high side and the aim of the programme will be defeated. In each of the seven wards in the council, at least 39 members will be empowered with the sum of N30, 000.

    “For instance, in Ward ‘H’ at Ikhaare Town, 64 people benefited from the small business empowerment programme. Each received the sum of N30, 000, 39 students received bursary awards while 38 out of the 300 aged people who benefited from the monthly social security allowance for the elderly are from Ward ‘H’.

    “In Ibasa Town, 65 people received N30, 000 each in the small business empowerment programme while another 110 people received bursary allowance.

    “This gesture cuts across political and religious affiliations.”

    Apart from the small business empowerment fund, Hon. Sanusi said the council is also giving out bursary awards to students that are in higher institutions across the country.

    On infrastructural development, the council chief noted that “physical infrastructure help in enhancing the well-being of the people. This explains the council’s commitment to road construction and rehabilitation across the council area, provision of adequate education and health infrastructure and encouragement of rural farmers with incentives. We also recognise that members of staff become more dedicated to their duties when they are happy and encouraged. That is why the council ensures that workers are highly motivated”.

    While distributing the materials in each of the wards, Hon, Sanusi said abject poverty and unemployment among youths were serious challenges which the council is experiencing, adding that his administration is committed to reversing the awful situation.

    Continuing, he said: “The increasing number of unemployed youths roaming the streets in search of jobs and some parents not having tangible means of livelihood has made them become frustrated and, most times, engage in anti-social activities that are inimical to the well-being of our society. It is therefore our responsibility as government to do something concrete to address this situation by intervening with various measures that will alleviate poverty and unemployment.

    Hon, Sanusi revealed that the council had provided several amenities for the people, which he said included rehabilitation of S.A. Primary School, Ikhaare, construction of footbridge at Irede Ikhaare, construction of public toilet at Iyagbe and Ikhaare, regular clearing of bushes along Ikhaare-Iyagbe-Irede footpath and ongoing construction of health centre and doctors’ quarters at Iyagbe and Irede.

    On youth employment, the council chief said his administration accords great priority to youth employment, adding that about 35 youths from Ward ‘H’ will be considered for contract jobs in the council this month. He also disclosed that some of them had been engaged in various sports such as swimming, football, athletic,  street soccer and track and field events which the council had organised.

    Contributing, the member representing Amowo-Odofin State Constituency at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. (Mrs.) Akinlola-Hassan Ramotalai praised the council chief for fulfilling most of his promises to the people during his electioneering campaigns.

    She expressed her happiness over what she called “deliberate efforts by the council to make life meaningful for the citizens,” noting that she had also contributed her quota to the development and well-being of the people through her education empowerment efforts. She revealed that she had provided school uniforms for almost all the primary schools in the council because, she said, education is a catalyst for development of any society.

  • 500 benefit from 2nd phase of Ogun empowerment programme

    500 benefit from 2nd phase of Ogun empowerment programme

    No fewer than 500 less privileged people in Ijebu North and Ijebu East Local Government areas of Ogun State including traders, community leaders, artisans, religious bodies, farmers, widows and others have benefited from the second phase of the State Community Empowerment Programme 2014.

    The programme, which was initiated by the wife of the State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, was aimed at creating opportunities for the less privileged to participate in the economy and improve their earning potentials in order to assist their families fight their way out of poverty.

    Speaking while distributing the small scale business items at the Oke Sopen secretariat of Ijebu North Local Government, Ijebu Igbo, Mrs. Amosun explained that the programme was aimed at maximising growth opportunities among the less privileged in the state and give them the enablement to reach their full potentials.

    She said the programme was part of efforts of her Uplift Development Foundation Projects to complement the numerous existing empowerment opportunities provided under the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led administration to uplift the lives of people at the grassroots.

    Also, speaking at the Primary Healthcare Centre, Ojowo in Ijebu East Local Government, the wife of the governor noted that the Community Empowerment Programme was borne out of the needs assessment carried out before embarking on the programme where various community leaders and associations were consulted to ensure that the needs of these communities were met to enable them to be self-employed and self-sufficient.

    Mrs Amosun assured the people that the state government would continue to embark on more people-oriented projects that would boost their economic power by providing empowerment items and cash that would enable them start up their businesses.

    According to her, “this initiative is part of effort put in place by the Senator Amosun administration to increase small and medium scale enterprises among rural dwellers, thus improving the quality of lives of the citizenry through capacity building. It is when our people are gainfully employed that they would be able to put food on their table and become self-sufficient.”

    In his remarks, the Onitasin of Itasin, Oba Felix Adegbesan lauded Mrs. Amosun for complementing the efforts and good work of that state government, particularly in areas of empowerment, noting that her kind gesture and love for the people would strengthen their support for the government in the mission to rebuild the state.

    He encouraged her to sustain the programme and even do more for the people of Ijebuland and other parts of the state and charged the people to use the empowerment items for the purpose it was given to them in order to better their lots and that of their family members.

    A Hunter, Mr. Olugbesan Taoreed from Ijebu Olowo thanked the state government for the opportunity to benefit from the empowerment programme, saying he had been trusting God for cash to start up a business to complement his hunting job which had not been forth coming.

    Also speaking on behalf of the youths, Mr Olakunle Onamade said the programme was one of its kind as no past administration had ever extended such kind gesture to youths in Ijebu East Local Government, noting that the initiative would further help in reducing poverty in the state and Nigeria by extension.

  • Still on Abia youth empowerment scheme

    Recently at Bende ,headquarters of Bende council area in Abia State, the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji in continuation of his government’s youth empowerment programme gave out 200 vehicles to unemployed youths, and N2 million each to 13 unemployed graduates.

    Beneficiaries of this were mainly unemployed youths from Arochukwu, Ohafia and Bende council areas, all in Abia North district. Before now youths from other two zones in the state Abia South and Abia Central had benefitted from programme.  It would be recalled that since coming into office in 2007, Governor Orji never pretended or reneged on his government’s genuine commitment towards empowering the teeming unemployed youths in the state aimed at reducing crime drastically.

    On several fora, Orji has emphasized that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, stressing on the need for the youths to be meaningful engaged no matter how small. Today in the state are more than 4,000 youths that were selected across the council areas and placed on monthly stipend of N20,000 each as social security since 2007. The programme has enabled most of the beneficiaries to live a life of their own, and search for employment without overburdening their parents after graduation.

    Through Ochendo Scholarship Scheme, so many youths in the state whose parents cannot afford to train in school have been offered scholarship to study at home and abroad at graduate and post-graduate levels. Those of them in primary and secondary schools have been enjoying free bus ride to schools since 2007. Bursary award of N50,000 each for the first time in the history of the state is being offered to indigenous undergraduates in tertiary institutions across the country by the state government. Also not left out in the bursary arrangement are indigenes of the state that are currently studying in Nigerian Law schools across the country.

    At a time many thought that it was impossible for the state governments to give out free vehicles to the youths, the present government in Abia State has since given out more than 500 vehicles free to the youths in the state. Details of the beneficiaries of this and particular of the vehicles and models were always made public, confirming the authenticity of the scheme. Also given out free to the youths were more than 500 tricycles, sewing machines, computers, and others through the state youth empowerment programme.

    I recalled reading some baseless and sponsored articles in some newspapers criticizing the state youth empowerment scheme alleging that the government was giving out rickety vehicles to graduates and PDP members in the name of youth empowerment in the state. But surprisingly, some of the published beneficiaries of the programme were from Anambra and Imo states, but were born, brought up and are still residing in Abia State.

    Some of the beneficiaries of the vehicles have added one or two cars to their fleets and have provided jobs for idle drivers and at same time put food on the table of their family members. Across the state today, commercial taxi business is booming and one can easily pick cab to any part of the state or outside at ease.

    The governor has also embarked on aggressive and sustained agricultural revolution in the state. His government was the first in the country to introduce Youth-In-Agriculture Initiative which was aimed at encouraging and supporting youths in practising commercial farming. Since then, so many unemployed youths in the state have been trained and supported by government to practise agriculture in the state. Some of them are already employers of labour today after being trained at the government established liberation farms in all the council areas of the state.

    There is no doubt that the Abia Youth Empowerment Scheme is unique and a model that is worthy of emulation by present and successive governments across the country. Empower Nigeria’s partnership with the Abia State government is a right step towards sustained and successful youth empowerment in the state. It will also encourage other youth development partners to be partners in progress with the state government in keeping and setting the pace for youth empowerment.

    It could be recalled that the collapse of major industries across the country did not begin today; rather it is as a result of long years of neglect by successive governments. And it is clear that the industries cannot be fixed overnight because of the huge capital and technical knowhow required, having been neglected for decades.

    So investing a huge chunk of public funds in their revitalization will surely affect other critical sectors of the economy that also require urgent attention. In this regard, while the Abia State government is working on revitalizing the ailing industries it inherited, her idea of doing something in the immediate to tackle youth unemployment through her youth empowerment scheme should be highly commended.

    Waiting until the ailing industries are brought back to life before the unemployed youths could be empowered or employed will be a time bomb. That is why states across the country should adopt the Abia Youth Empowerment Programme Scheme model to pre-empt possible youths restiveness. It is a more practical approach to youth empowerment. Also the long-term approach, which has to do with the revitalization and construction of industries should be worked on.

    The Abia youth scheme is the surest way of taking the unemployed youths out of the streets to reduce crime rate. No wonder the crime rate in the state has reduced drastically since the commencement of the programme.

    The success of the programme is predicated on the fact that it is being carried out in a most transparent manner which has made it difficult for politicians to hijack it for selfish political purposes. There are no middlemen between the beneficiaries and the state government to avoid exploitation and fraud. The state government should not only continue with the scheme, there is also the need for the in-coming government to sustain it, at least pending the resuscication of the ailing industries that are undergoing rehabilitation in the state.

     

    • Okenwe, a beneficiary of the state youth empowerment scheme wrote Umuahia, Abia State

  • Enactus hits community with empowerment seminar

    Members of the Entrepreneurship Action in Us (ENACTUS) Club at the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, have organised free empowerment seminar for residents of Emure community.

    The seminar was held at Community Grammar School, Emure Ile, Ondo State.

    No fewer than 40 members of the community were trained on how to produce detergents and allied products, including strategies to market the products.

    Residents were taught how to make liquid dish wash, disinfectant and toilet wash.

    Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Joseph Adebowale, the group leader, said:  “We discover a passion that if unleashed can inspire others to fulfil their dreams. We discover innovations that will make people live a healthier life, which can also be a source of income if properly harnessed. We discovered a problem at Emure-Ile community and decided to provide solutions. We targeted the people of this community that live below one dollar per day and we decided that the best way to empower their men and women is to train them on what will help the community and boost their income,” he stated.

    Its Faculty Advisor at the institution, Mr Akintan Akinyemi, said: “Considering the relevant economic, social and environmental factors, the seminar is bound to improve the quality and standard of living of the participants. We empower people in need by applying business and economic concepts and and entrepreneurial approach to improve their quality of life and standard of living.”

     

  • Group seeks empowerment of youths, women

    A group in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has called for the repositioning of party politics, to give vulnerable groups, including youths and women more opportunities to participate in the political process. Speaking at a media briefing in Ikeja, recently, coordinators of the New Justice Forum (NJF), Olatunji Folami and Taiwo Ayedun, said it is sad that there is no succession plan in the South-west, because political leaders in the region have failed to groom future successors.

    Folami, who read from a prepared text, said the group is determined to bring back robust competition and fair play, level playing field and justice, adding “political movements should not be built around individuals, but around organisational structures.” He said the late Nelson Mandela was one of those who started a movement in South Africa. “Today, he is no more, but the movement continues,” he added.

    Folami said although members of the New Justice Forum have respect for the old Justice Forum led by the renowned grassroot mobiliser and colossus in Lagos politics, Alhaji Olatunji Hamzat, the old order has not built organisational structures that would promote competition and groom future leaders that would step into the shoes of credible leaders Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and a host of others, who have demonstrated political vision and shown commitment to good governance.

    His words: “The philosophy underpinning the coming into being of the New Justice Forum (NJF) therefore, is the determination to bring back robust competition and fair play, level playing field and justice and reposition it on the path of equity and justice for all members. This would be attained through the harnessing of the abundant energies of all members, particularly youths and women who are most vulnerable.

    “Our agenda is to identify persons with progressive orientation and great potentials who are ready to serve and lead democratically. They must be from our generation and we will work to put them forward for positions. Enough of old hands and old ideas. We want new blood, new ideas and new ways of doing things.”

  • Sports and youth empowerment

    I still remember the first time someone placed a basketball in my hands—it was after I had seen Nigeria’s Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon play on television. He played centre position in the NBA for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. I was 15 years old at the time, and from then on I knew it was what I wanted to do. The feeling, even when I think about it now, remains indescribable.

    Inspired by that moment, I worked hard on the court and eventually played in college for the University of Maryland Terrapins before finally making it to the NBA. For several years, I had the privilege of playing alongside and competing against some of the greatest basketball players in the world.

    Playing basketball helped me build a successful career, but it did far more. Playing basketball taught me persistence, teamwork, and communication—skills that have helped me succeed off the court. After retiring from competitive basketball, I invested my NBA earnings into promising business opportunities. Currently, I am the CEO of Nigeria’s premier online travel company, Wakanow.com, which is also the fastest growing online company in Africa. Despite existing in an extremely challenging market, we are rapidly changing the way travel is planned and booked in Nigeria.

    I am grateful for the opportunities basketball has afforded me. But I also realize that many young people around the world don’t have the same opportunities to experience the benefits of sport. This is a missed opportunity.

    Today, young people make up one fourth of the global population. Many of these youth live in Africa, which has the youngest population of any continent. Researchers estimate that in less than three years, 41 percent of the world’s youth will be African.

    Africa’s youth are the key to its future. Nigeria’s youth have the capacity to shape social and economic development, challenge social norms and values, and lead Africa toward a brighter future. But youth can only succeed if they are empowered to do so. One of the best paths to achieve this goal may lie on the basketball court.

    Sport is one of the most effective means of empowering youth. Physical activity is critical to young people’s development, contributing to physical, social and emotional health. In addition to building strength, engaging in athletics also helps improve mood and focus, reduce stress and increase confidence.

    Beyond giving youth a way to stay healthy, sport also provides an opportunity for young people to learn skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Working with teammates teaches young people how to communicate and work together, while mastering a specific technique instills discipline and persistence. These lessons are not limited to athletics. Studies show that sport can improve young people’s learning performance and encourage a desire to succeed academically.

    All of these statistics point to one conclusion: the skills that youth learn by mastering a sport stay with them long after the game ends. With that in mind, governments, civil society, and businesses must work together to ensure that children and young adults have access to sport and other athletic ventures.

    Lastweek, I was excited to be part of the movement to expand access to sport. A new programme, “Power Forward,” will start in Abuja Nigeria, and will focus on using basketball to teach life skills to youth. Launched by the National Basketball Association, ExxonMobil and Africare, this innovative programme, will leverage the power of basketball to teach youth the skills they need to thrive and become leaders in their communities.

    The groundbreaking school-based programme, being implemented on the ground by Africare and local partner Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (YEDI), will take place at 10 schools in Abuja throughout the academic year. The programme will initially engage 300 students in their last three years of high school. In addition to the lessons learned through sport—such as teamwork, resiliency and responsibility—the programme’s curriculum will also use students’ interest in basketball to educate them about public health and to improve literacy and job skills. While students learn how to perform on the basketball court, they will also gain knowledge that will protect their health and development.

    The programme builds on a long-standing commitment to Nigeria by all three organizations. Over the past few months, all three organizations, and YEDI, have worked with school and education officials to develop a programme that matches their needs and ensures that each school has the necessary supplies and support to make this programme a success.

    In addition to helping the students it reaches directly, I hope Power Forward will serve as an example of the type of innovative partnership necessary to empower Africa’s youth. Its lessons and curriculum can serve as a blueprint for future endeavors. For example, national governments and organizations could establish their own sport programmes to encourage youth empowerment and the development of life skills.

    As Africa continues to invest in education for its children, we must not forget that a full education means opportunities outside the classroom, including sport. Investing in athletic programmes, equipment and infrastructure can complement existing efforts to improve children’s lives, while also better preparing them for their future.

    Playing basketball has helped me develop myself as a team player, but also as a healthy person, innovator and community member. Now is the time to offer these opportunities to others.

    • Ekezie is a former NBA player and founder of Wakanow.com

  • Experts stress empowerment of persons with disability

    Experts stress empowerment of persons with disability

    PERSONS with disability have a lot to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country. As such, they need to be empowered in order to be able to harness their potentials.

    This was the submissions made by a cross-section of experts who took part in a breakfast forum hosted by Theseabilities Foundation in Lagos recently.

    Tagged: ‘Employability: Creating a win-win situation for the Disability and The Business’, the forum drew participants from the organised private sector including banks, telecoms sector, civil society, multilateral agencies, media, among others.

    Justifying the need for the forum, in his welcome address, Mr. Boye Abioye, Executive Director, Theseabilities Foundation, said the breakfast session was part of activities of the Foundation to galvanise the interest of stakeholders towards addressing the plights of persons with disabilities, in terms of integrating them properly into the society.

    According to him, “Experience has shown that persons with disabilities can contribute substantially to the socio-economic growth of the country in different spheres of the economy. But due to social stereotypes, many persons with disabilities are not able to clearly contribute their quota to the system. This forum is therefore aimed at bridging the gap.”

    Speaking earlier, Pastor Peter Ighodalo, chairman, Theseabilities Foundation, said, “There is definitely a need for better quality of life for people with disabilities because they are people faced with all sorts of stigmas in society already.”

    Continuing, he said: “Such effort must be driven by a group of people with passion and empathy for persons with disabilities working along with persons with disabilities. Because you need to work with them so that you can also understand how they think, what their issues are and what needs to be solved. And that’s what we’re trying to do with Theseabilities Foundation.”

    In a keynote address delivered by Ms. Sina Chuma-Mkandawire, Director, ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Gambia and Liaison Office for ECOWAS, she stressed the need for collective support for persons with disability at the workplace.

    According to Chuma-Mkandawire, who was represented by Pius Udoh, she observed that “Around the world, approximately one billion people or 15 per cent of the population has a disability. Estimates indicate that disabled persons experience unemployment rates as high as 90 per cent in some low-income countries. Despite social stigma and exclusionary practices, people with disabilities have become increasingly proactive in asserting strength and confidence in their own abilities to lead self-reliant and independent lives. One area where equal opportunity is important to enable this self-determination is the world of work.”

    In its quest to ensure a even workplace, the ILO boss said, “the ILO has established the ILO Global Business and Disability Network which is comprised of representatives from multinational enterprises, employers’ organisations and business networks, and selected non-governmental and disabled peoples’ organisations to assist companies include people with disabilities in the workforce from the perspective of business and human rights cases. The ambition of the ILO Global Business and Disability Network is to foster the development of a workforce culture that is respectful and inclusive; promoting the hiring, retention and professional development of people with disabilities. It has a vision of being recognised by international organisations, multinational enterprises and employers’ organisations as the global reference network to address disability in the workplace by 2015.”

    Also at the forum was Mr. Aruosa Osemwegie, Enable Africa, Dr. Gabriel Soje of the Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C, among others.