Passion for Youth and Sustainabilty : Making right choices

Life and WORK

Life comes with it mysteries. when things happens, it just do. then suddenly 3 or more years has just passed and you begin to wonder what you had done in those years that can be describe as a "footprint".

I am very inspired by young people especially young people of Nigeria. Why? because there are the most sustainable resource a nation can have, and yet, they suffer a lot not because they want to, rather because they do not have the enabling environment to grow, express themselves and follow their dreams just like thier peers in Europe, America and some Africa countries.

Resigning from my old job was a challenging decision to make, after working for 3 month as a programme officer facilitating  Climate Change related research and activity. It time for me to go. off course there were many other issues that faciliated my decision  to quit! The Nigerian Youth Climate Movement needs tasolid foundation to engage in and participate fully in Climate change issues in Nigeria. After what happen in Copenhagen (very proud to have been a part of the global Youth Movement), the momentum was building around the world. Every facet of life were getting connected to the climate change issues and the outcome of the meeting in Bella center. Did this happened in Nigeria? where more young people getting involved and taking action on climate change?

NYCC:

Well, Let me answere the question. relatively yes.The Nigerian Youth Climate Coalition (NYCC) which I founded and co-directing, inspired by what happen in Copenahegen, was appraoched by Building Nigerian's Response to Climate Change (BNRCC) project to implement an 8th-month (April to Nov. 2010) Climate Change Youth Communication Project titled Engaging Niaja Youth in Climate Change Project. This is the major reason I resigned to help in building the Nigerian Youth Climate Movement. The broad objectives of the project are to provide young people with credible messages and access to further information on climate change and what they can do about it, with opportunities to make a difference, and with recognition and rewards for their work towards emissions reduction and adaption. Within the context of the BNRCC project, NYCC seek to mobilized, sensitized and build the capacity of 2000 youths as young climate Champions between the ages of 12 and 25 in Delta, Imo and Ondo states.  When completed, the project will provide Identified platforms to promote access to information on vulnerabilities, impacts and adaptation to climate change.

We will also be organising a Youth Media Dialogue on Climate Change on August 31st 2010. Bring two big forces together. Youth and Media to create a part for effective intergenerational Partnership and paradigm shift. The event will

Commonwealth Youth Climate Initaitve

I have aslo been busy. as a Commonwealth Youth Climate Initaive focal point for Nigeria, I was invited by the Commonwealth Youth Program(CYP) Office in Africa to help faciliate a Climate Change Session  during their African Regional Youth Caucus(RYC) meeting held in Abuja, March 2010. The objectives of the RYC Meeting are to provide an opportunity for young people to contribute to CYP’s policy and programme directions as well as use the opportunity to build capacity of young people in leadership and advocacy skills in key development to facilitate young people’s effective contribution to community and national development. One of the development areas that the RYC Meeting intends to focus on is Climate Change. The aim of the session is identify practical elements from Meeting communique/recommendations that young people can undertake as youth leaders to heighten advocacy and actions to address climate change issues at community/national levels.

UNFPA National Consulative Forum on young People:

UNFPA has always been on the forefront of promoting adolescent and young people health and development at all levels of development. Recently they collaborated with the Federal Ministries of Youth and Health to organise a National Consulative Forum for Advancing Young People's Health and Development in Abuja with the Theme: "Healthy Young People, Nigeria's Greatest Assest"  The broad objective was to create an action Plan for Advancing Young People Health and Development in Nigeria looking with active partciciption of young people. I was invited by UNFPA to present a Paper on "Fostering Youth Leadership and Partcipation in Decision Making"  During the Leadrship Session with some State Commissioners for  youth in attendance. My personal outcome of the meeting was inspiring the creation of "Youth For Action" Gorup which is aimed at faciliating further communiation among young people with constant and active youth enagagment in the implementation of the adopted Action Plan and the "Abuja Declaration".

2010Women  Deliver Conference .

My self and many peers arroud the world will be joining women activists, Media Celebrities like Christane Amanpour, Actoresses, UN system representatives and Men at the 2010 Women Deliver Conference in Washington from June 7th -9th 2010. holding  at the Walter E Washington DC Convention Center.

Women Deliver 2010, a global conference, will be held in Washington DC on June 7-9, 2010. The theme of the conference is: "Delivering solutions for girls and women," and we plan to focus on political, economic, social/cultural, and technological solutions. This global meeting will expand on Women Deliver's hallmark of inclusivity, reaching out to new partners and new communities. With all these partners in one room, we will further prove that maternal and reproductive health is a global priority. Women Deliver 2010 will move the dialogue to the global arena with two strong messages:

• The MDGs will not be achieved without investing in women.
• There is just enough time, if the world commits funding now, to achieve MDG5 — additional US$10 billion annually by 2010 and US$20 billion by 2015.

Personally, am heading to DC to understand fully the connection between Sexuality(women) and Sustainability(climate change). Although  UNFPA State of the World Population 2009 has already higlighted the connection. I need to hear personal stories and make connection.

Project A2A:

Last Year I spent 3 month in Schilersee, Bavaria Germany on a Youth interchange Fellowship Program designed to help young people recognize their strength and ability in order to follow their dreams organized by Dekeyer&Friends Foundation. at the end of the program, my dream plan was accepted for funding support. My dream is to see young Nigerians live sustainable lifystyle while engaging in local serivce project to protect the environment. Project A2A was launched on June 1st 2010 via  Making Dreams come True!!

Until we met again..My flight is waiting!!!

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