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REPORT ON THE NIGERIA YOUTH SUMMIT HELD FROM 18TH-30TH MAY, 2009 ORGANIZER: VOICE OF CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL , ENUGU NIGERIA FACILITATORS: PAM STENZEL OF ENLIGHTEN COMMUNICATIONS WITH COLIN HEARN AND DAVID CHRISTMAN OF MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN -Personal report from Arch. Nkem Dim, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Voice of Children International, Nigeria EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A youth mobilization, leadership and re-orientation programme, was organized and held by voice of children international, Nigeria in collaboration with enlighten communications Inc. USA, from the 18th-30th May 2009. This program was entitled “DON’T SAY NO BODY TOLD ME” (GROWING IN TRUTH AND RESPONSIBILITY, THE NEED FOR CHASTITY, ABSTINENCE AND MORAL SOUNDNESS). The program was held in three major Nigerian cities- Umuahia, Enugu, and Lagos. This program which included-“TOT”- “train the trainer” and a general rally was well attended by the target audiences. Pam Stenzel, the internationally acclaimed abstinence and chastity educator with her crew of professional actors: Colin Hearn and David Christman combined her personal story and extensive teenage pregnancy counseling experience with on-the-sport dramas to drive home the consequences of premarital sex. However, the two weeks programme was adjudged a huge success. We also had other presenters who spoke and educated Nigerian youths on leadership, skill acquisition techniques and personal empowerment programs Meanwhile, the national television aired the program for 2 consecutive days (at about 10 minutes each day) and it was reported by major newspapers and magazines in the country. PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES The programme was designed to re-orientate the youths to better prepare them for the challenges ahead as leaders of tomorrow by imbibing the culture of integrity and chastity in their developmental process. To educate and remind them of the dangers and consequences of premarital sexual activities and to redirect them to embrace the religious and social teachings of God summed up in these words “the human person is created in dignity and we must do whatever it takes to keep and restore this dignity” The whole program is geared toward education and re-orientation so that no young person among them would ever say they made a wrong choice because “No body told me” Pam Stenzel taught the youths 4 basic things v What loving right means v What loving wrong means v The consequences of loving wrong (physical, spiritual and emotional) v Character formation Rev. Prof. Izu M. Onyeocha educated the young people on leadership and their role as leaders of tomorrow; Dr. Patrick Nwume dealt with empowerment; Rev. Dr. John Odey and a host of other presentations. The Open Rally Concelebrated Mass was presided over by Most Rev. Dr. John Okoye (Catholic Bishop of Awgu) while the Homilist was a Swiss Schoenstatt Priest Very Rev. Fr. Alfred Kistler, Superior General of the Schoenstatt Fathers in Nigeria. We have over 10 priests and nuns in attendance. We even had more nuns who on a daily basis helped with the cooking and serving at the whole program. At the Rally was also a group of Nigerian cultural pop musicians: J. Martins and the Brackets. These are loved by a lot of young Nigerians and sure they drew a lot of crowd at the Rally and made the event so lively. IN ATTENDANCE. In attendance were young people and teenagers, secondary school students, university undergraduates’ educationists, parents, teachers, religious tutors professionals and the media-(both electronic and print). The attendance cuts across denominational divide. These were mainly “YOUTH LEADERS” FROM ALL ACROSS NIGERIA. The most exciting presence was not just that of young persons from other Christian denominations but MOSLEM YOUTHS FROM ALL OVER THE MOSLEM STATES OF NIGERIA. Their presence in all the three trainings really enhanced the whole program and gave it a National face. They were so happy that we invited them and even gave them chances to lead in prayers during the whole summit. On the whole, a total of over 1000 youth leaders from all the nooks and cranny of the country attended the TOT (training of trainers) program which lasted for 3 days at each of the centers. At the mass rally held at Enugu, more than 15,000 youths attended. BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAMME TO NIGERIAN YOUTHS. In a nutshell, the benefit of the programme to the Nigeria youths, is to change the mindset of our youths from immorality to that of moral soundness for positive development and to prepare them for the challenges ahead. COST TO VOICE OF CHILDREN Though VOC ministries expended a huge sum of money to organize this program and even had to borrow from the bank, the benefits of the program to our youths can not be quantified in terms of money. However, the board of VOC, Nigeria believes that no amount of money would compensate for one soul lost to immorality and negative development, what more a whole generation of our entire future leaders who are drifting and are in dire need for positive directional guidance for the future of our great nation and humanity. VOTE OF THANKS My gratitude goes to God who in his mercy has made this program a success amidst all the challenges we had. We were challenged, YES but was God on our side? Absolutely YES. To the Holy Spirit we who is the primary agent of evangelization we say, thanks a million. I, Nkem Dim on behalf of the members of the board of directors of VOC, Nigeria, wish to thank the entire members of the board of directors of VOICE OF CHILDREN IN USA AND Germany and all our partners and friends and donors who have contributed in one way or the other to the success of this enormous program. Special thanks to Glenn and MaryJane Creamers for their unequalled generosity. May you be rewarded most abundantly. We pray that the almighty God shall replenish you all mightily Regards, Arch. Nkem Dim Chairman, board of directors VOC, Nigeria. |
