NGO Moves To Empower 26,000 Youths For Better Nigeria

A group under the auspices of Mercy Corps, has disclosed plans to empower 26,000 young Nigerians to become active citizens and social change leaders.

The leading global organization with the belief that a better world is possible said it has concluded plans to commence the Girls Improving Resilience through Livelihoods and Health (GIRL-H) Programme, targeting 14,000 adolescents in Lagos State and 12, 000 youths in Kano State.

The programme aims to improve the well-being of adolescents and young people by increasing their access to and uptake of life skills, and financial literacy, as well as foster pathways to economic opportunities in Nigeria.

The programme manager, Jennifer Madueke, at the official launch of the programme in Lagos, said the Girl-H Programme is to be implemented in Lagos and Kano states through Mercy Corps’ partners: Action Health Incorporated (AHI) and Isa Wali Empowerment Initiative (IWEI) respectively.

Madueke said the GIRL-H Nigeria will build the resilience of 26,000 adolescent and young people in marginalized communities in Lagos (14,000) and Kano (12,000) Nigeria, adding that the model is built on the lessons of the Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises (ENGINE) amongst other similar agency wide programmes.

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The country director, Mercy Corps, Ndubisi Anyanwu, said the GIRL -H program is increasing Mercy Corps Nigeria reach to vulnerable groups particularly in northern Nigeria which is now at over 500,000 direct participants.

Anyanwu added that GIRL-H will build an enabling environment through educating communities to transform gender and social norms so that girls and boys are valued and able to access their basic human rights, adding that the NGO will be working with the public and private sectors to foster opportunities for education, safe livelihoods and financial inclusion; while collaborating with community-based organizations and governments to scale the GIRL-H model.