A non-profit organisation in Nigeria known as the Gender and Development Action (GADA) has trained young Nigerians to be agents of change and social justice within their communities at its School of Volunteerism and Community Service.
The comprehensive training, which was held for six weeks in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, southern Nigeria, was organized in partnership with the Institute of Public Policy and Administration, University of Calabar.
One of the participants of the course, who is a graduate of Law, Stephanie Chiaza said that her desire to partake in the training was to fulfill her desire for positive societal change and exploring alternative ways to render community service.
“The training was intensive, mentality stimulating; we were really drilled and eye-opening. I particularly enjoyed the activities despite the challenges. This is one area I would encourage young people to join,” she said.
Another graduate of the school, Anselm Egbe, a graduate of computer science, was thrilled to have trained at the GADA School of Volunteerism and Community Service, saying “the motivation was how to integrate technology that is Data Analysis and Data Science for effective community service. The people I met here and the curriculum also motivated me to register for the training and I am glad I did.
“It was impactful and exposed me to different people. I gained that extra confidence and since we will be working on some real projects soon, I honestly cannot wait to commence. I would also encourage other young people to devote their time to volunteerism, community service and impact positively on society,” Egbe said.
Call to action
Earlier, in her keynote speech, the Director, Institute of Public Policy and Administration in the University of Calabar, Professor Eucharia Nwagbara congratulated the young people for commencing the journey of social change agents, describing volunteerism as ‘a call to action’.
According to her, volunteerism and community service was a ‘fundamental pillar of effective public policy and governance’ rather than an academic accomplishment, noting that the participants were better equipped to serve as catalysts for positive transformation in their various communities.
While pledging to strengthen partnership with GADA, Nwagbara advised the graduates: “As you step into the next phase of your journey, I encourage you to embrace empathy, integrity and a deep sense of social responsibility. Your success will not be measured solely by personal achievements, but the impact you make in the lives of others and the policies you help shape.”
Engaging young graduates
The Resource Mobilization and Partnership Manager for GADA, Tolani Adeboye, who is also the facilitator of the school of Volunteerism and Community Service, explained that the school was committed to training young people, who would at the end of their internship compete for global opportunities, Adeboye stated.
Climax of the ceremony was the presentation of certificates to the participants, while goodwill messages flooded in from the Executive Director of Professor Charles Effiong Foundation, Mr. Obase Ofem; the GADA Programme Coordinator, Mr. Edmond Oka; and the founder of GADA, Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo represented by Mr. Ihort Achu as well as a host of others.
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