The Connected Development (CODE), YouthHub Africa and the Christian Aid launched a nationwide Youth Challenge Fund that will provide grant to young people to deliver innovative solutions to identified challenges within their communities.
The project worth £30,000 (or N14m) seeks to increase youth participation in community development and ensure that youth become partners and leaders in development, where they are charged with creating a sustainable change that is measurable in their community.
Speaking during the launch, the Christian Aid Nigeria’s Country Director, Charles Usie said: “The fund is in recognition of the immense capacity of young people to address some of the growing developmental challenges across communities in Nigeria, if given the opportunity and required resources. We have therefore put this in place as part of our mandate to end poverty in Nigeria.”
Also, the Chief Executive Officer of CODE, Hamzat B. Lawal, said the government must understand the growing importance and potential of young people and consider their contribution to nation building.
Lawal called for increased financing, education and technical support for Nigerian youth as this can greatly impact on the future of the country.
The sub-grantee organisations are Foundation for Equitable and Sustainable Human Advancement (FESHA), Justice Development and Peace Caritas (JDPC), Nnewi; Women and children in support of community development initiative (WOCCI-Nig); Hope For Family Development Initiative (HFDI); and Spotlight for Transparency and Accountability Initiative levitates standard of transparency and accountability in government (subnational governments) through citizen participation in governance and the Access to Learning and School (ATLAS) Initiative.
