NGO launches official website, advocates youth empowerment, development

.Reject and vote out politicians who have no clear cut programmes for the youth – Prof. Nchuchuwe

.The value you place on yourself, determines how far you will go -Kazeem

Advaltad Growth and Support Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), has officially launched “Enrich the Africa Youth Programme Initiative and her website (www.adconnectafrica.org).

The initiative, which was launched at Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Multipurpose Hall, Lagos, had in attendance Professor Friday Nchuchuwe of Department of Public Administration, Lagos State University, Leader of the Legislative Arm, Egbe-Idimu LCDA, Hon. Rufai Abdullateef Ishola, Lead Pastor, Global Triumph Ministries, Chukwuedo Emmanuel, Chairman, Egbe-Idimu Community Development Committee, Hon. Rabiu Kazeem, Immediate Past Leader of Legislative Arm, Egbe-Idimu LCDA, Hon. Taiwo Abiodun Lasisi, Principal Assistant Public Affairs Officer, Igando-Ikotun LCDA, Comr. Oluwafemi Ikugbayigbe, Immediate Past Supervisor for Works and Housing, Egbe-Idimu LCDA, Comr. Akerele Timileyin, among other dignitaries.

Speaking during his lecture titled “Youth enrichment as an instrument for national development”, the guest speaker, Prof. Nchuchuwe called on youths across the nation to reject and vote out politicians who have no clear cut programmes for the youths, noting that Governments at all levels should include youth enrichment in their annual budget.

The LASU  Professor suggested that  “Youths should emphasize that any government must have youth enrichment as a matter of policy, government should make a special budget for youth enrichment, the society should encourage willing NGOs like Advaltad Growth and Support Foundation to be meaningfully enriched, youths  should ensure that they are not carried away by the peanut usually offered by politicians and insist on being accommodated in the political process at all levels, youths should reject politicians who have no clear cut programmes for the youths by not voting for them and youths must shun the mentality of wanting to get rich quick.” He said.

Speaking on the benefits of youth enrichment, he said youth enrichment is very critical for sustainable development in the contemporary global environment, stating that;  youth enrichment will enable youth to be self-employed, helps the youth to be job creators instead of being job seekers, it will guarantee the reduction of high rate of unemployment in the country, it promotes economic and industrial environment for business to operate very well through job creation and enables youths to develop leadership potentials that stimulate effective service delivery in youth organizations in particular and in the society at large.

On the importance of youths enrichment, Prof.Nchuchuwe stated that promotion of youth entrepreneurship culture, training of artisans, youth empowerment education and vocational training, youth empowerment through Agricultural programme(YEAP), job creation Programmes and youth empowerment and financial intervention are excellent strategies for youth enrichment.

Chukwuedo Emmanuel, the second guest speaker in his lecture on “Poverty of the mind”, said the mindset of the people was what made them poor, noting that poverty is not of the pocket but is of the mind.

He said the government should create enabling environment for the youths to strive for growth and development.

The event Father of the day, Hon. Rabiu Kazeem, said: “The value you place on yourself determines how far you will go in life, adding that ”youths should make themselves recognize in their various communities through humanitarian services with high integrity”.

Earlier in his address, the Director of the initiative, Mr. Olalekan Kushimo, said the NGO vision was born out of passion for  Africa youths to be fully engaged, noting that the purpose of the NGO is to raise funds and empower over one million youths across Africa continent in the next five years through; agriculture, technology, education and humanitarian activities.

Kushimo said the NGO has set to organize lectures, seminars, conferences, training and symposia which are geared towards human capacity development.

According to Kushimo “as an organization, we are committed to liberate the youth of Africa from “poverty of the mind” through this movement and we are set to collaborate with Government at all levels, donors agencies, corporate bodies, investors and organizations of like minds to achieve our vision”

“Our aims and objectives are; to promote access to quality healthcare services and healthcare facilities development in our communities, organize lectures, training, seminars, conference and symposia geared towards human capacity development,  care for less privileged, aged and widows in the society and promote youth and women empowerment.”

“Our mission is to discover African’s with productive and creative ideas in almost all areas of professions and talent, synergistically helping them to make the ideas a reality.”

These he said will in return provide a reliable job opportunity for millions of African youths.

He said “the NGO has a website (www.adconnectafrica.org) where everyone can become an affiliate member/partner and be connected with other like minds to build Africa of our dream.

 *N1,500* fee is required which is to be paid once in a lifetime for data collation and recording purpose and the NGO’s Identity card which will be used as an ATM card in the nearest future.”

“Benefits of affiliate members/partners are: Connect with other like minds to create a value chain; Build Africa of our dream; access to available grants by government and others; connect with investors for giant projects; employment opportunities, and access to start-up capital among others”.

For a better society