Quitters Never Win

“Ayo all I want from you is your heart.  I don’t want you to focus on what place you come in or what you’re ranked.  I just want you to run with your heart. If you give your best, you’d be your best.” read more and be inspired... please enjoy
this true life story of inspiration: http://youthmakingchange.blogspot.com/2011/11/run-with-your-heart-ayo-owodunni.html

Ask what you can do for your country and not what your country can do for you...

Critics opposed the program. Kennedy's opponent, Richard M. Nixon, predicted it would become a "cult of escapism" and "a haven for draft dodgers."

Others doubted whether recent graduates had the necessary skills and maturity. The idea was popular among students, however, and Kennedy pursued it, asking respected academics such as Max Millikan and Chester Bowles to help him outline the organization and its goals. During his inaugural address, Kennedy again promised to create the program: “This is specifically to all the young people in Nigeria "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country". President Kennedy in a speech at the White House on June 22, 1962, "Remarks to Student Volunteers Participating in Operation Crossroads Africa", acknowledged that Operation Crossroads for Africa was the basis for the development of the Peace Corps. "This group and this effort really were the progenitors of the Peace Corps and what this organization has been doing for a number of years led to the establishment of what I consider to be the most encouraging indication of the desire for service not only in this country but all around the world that we have seen in recent years". The Peace Corps website answered the question "Who Inspired the Creation of the Peace Corps?", acknowledging that the Peace Corps were based on Operation Crossroads Africa founded by Rev. James H. Robinson.

On March 1, 1961, Kennedy signed Executive Order 10924 that officially started the Peace Corps. Concerned with the growing tide of revolutionary sentiment in the Third World, Kennedy saw the Peace Corps as a means of countering the stereotype of the "Ugly American" and "Yankee imperialism," especially in the emerging nations of post-colonial Africa and Asia. Shriver and his think tank outlined the organization's goals and set the initial number of volunteers. The program began recruiting in July 1962.

Until about 1967, applicants had to pass a placement test that tested "general aptitude" (knowledge of various skills needed for Peace Corps assignments) and language aptitude. After an address from Kennedy, who was introduced by Rev. Russell Fuller of Memorial Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, on August 28, 1961, the first group of volunteers left for Ghana and Tanzania. The program was formally authorized by Congress on September 22, 1961, and within two years over 7,300 volunteers were serving in 44 countries. This number increased to 15,000 in June 1966, the largest number in the organization's history.

The organization experienced controversy in its first year of operation. On October 13, 1961, a postcard from a volunteer named Margery Jane Michelmore in Nigeria to a friend in the U.S. described her situation in Nigeria as "squalor and absolutely primitive living conditions. "However, this postcard never made it out of the country. The University of Ibadan College Students Union demanded deportation and accused the volunteers of being "America's international spies" and the project as "a scheme designed to foster neocolonialism." Soon the international press picked up the story, leading several people in the U.S. administration to question the program. Nigerian students protested the program, while the American volunteers sequestered themselves and eventually began a hunger strike. After several days, the Nigerian students agreed to open a dialogue with the Americans.
***I made a research on this Peace Corps to encourage young people in Nigeria to embrace opportunities by engaging in activities that will promote their skills and ability in the country rather than waiting for government to encourage them to take action... Oluwamayowa.


Volunteer opportunity in the CrowdOutAIDS project! 
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Thanks for being part of CrowdOutAIDS, the first ever collaborative online/offline strategy development project in the history of the UN!


If you are new to CrowdOutAIDS, you can find out more about the project on the blog CrowdOutAIDS info.

This week’s action: Be a CrowdOutAIDS volunteer!

CrowdOutAIDS relies on online communication tools and new technologies. But not all young people have access to the Internet, particularly in some countries and communities where new HIV infections are high.

For the UNAIDS Secretariat’s strategy to capture the diverse needs and challenges faced by young people in the AIDS response today, we are establishing a network of volunteers to host CrowdOutAIDS Open Forums offline around the world at the end of November and beginning of December.

If you are interested in hosting a CrowdOutAIDS Open Forum, you can sign up here. For more information email ngl@unaids.org

Influence global policy

The Open Forums, both on and offline, is where the policy discussion for the UNAIDS Secretariat’s new strategy on HIV and young people takes place. Excitingly the weekly reports from each of the regional forums are now on the blog. If you are curious to find out how the Open Forums contribute to the new strategy on HIV and young people, click here.

To join the policy discussion, click on your regional Open Forum below!

Middle East and North Africa (Arabic)
Africa (English)
América Latina (Spanish)
Asia and Pacific (English)
North America, Western & Central Europe, and Caribbean (English)
Afrique Francophone (French)
Восточная Европа и Центральная Азия (Russian)
China (Chinese)

Other actions you can take to help CrowdOutAIDS

Spread the Word – Email
Forward this email to 5 friends you think would be interested in the CrowdOutAIDS project!

Have A Blog?
Help support operation CrowdOutAIDS by writing about the project on your blog, Facebook, website or other online place. Send us the link when it’s up and we’ll check it out and share it.

Guest Bloggers
We’ve got a series of researchers, activists, journalists & community organizers lined up to guest blog on the CrowdOutAIDS site. Know someone that should contribute content to the blog? Send us an email at ngl@unaids.org

Did you miss our last newsletter? Click the link to read it>>
Thanks for joining CrowdOutAIDS!
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--
Jennifer Ehidiamen
Dis Generation Columnist
THE NATION (on Sunday) Newspaper
Mobile: (+234) 08054503875
Twitter: @disgeneration
www.twitter.com/disgenerationBlog:www.youthmakingchange.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.ehidiamenA passionate Poet, Tech savvy Journalist, Social Entrepreneur and an active global citizen committed to working for a positive change

Save A Child Today...

Shivering. Vomiting. Convulsions. Brain damage. Death.

These are the cruel symptoms of the leading child-killer in Africa
- malaria. Every 30 seconds a child dies of malaria. 90% of
those deaths occur in Africa among children under the age of 5.

One of the simplest and most effective ways to protect these children
from malaria is by giving their families mosquito nets.

Help us save children from suffering and death caused by malaria
- donate just $36.36 and send 6 lifesaving bed nets to children
most in need.

http://inside.unicefusa.org/site/R?i=6AF7q_tgErN5gkEOTzp5Kg
UNICEF is the world's largest provider of insecticide-treated mosquito
nets and a leading organization in the global fight against malaria.

Malaria is one of the leading preventable causes of death in children
under 5. Your gift of 6 lifesaving mosquito nets will help us make an
immediate and direct impact on reducing child mortality rates.

These bed-nets are one component of UNICEF's comprehensive efforts to
stop the spread of malaria, including:

* Distributing anti-malarial medicines;
* Working with governments to make malaria control a priority; and
* Participating in the Roll Back Malaria partnership - a
global coordinated effort between 500 partners to scale up
malaria control.

Please donate $36.36 today - and send lifesaving mosquito nets
to poor children at risk of malaria.

http://inside.unicefusa.org/site/R?i=vv-jaoGPvv4UQPn9VPs7_Q
The children in Africa at risk of malaria are just like my children,
like children you know. A child in need is a child in need regardless
of the geographic borders in which they were born. Give these children
a childhood. A hope for a healthy tomorrow. Send them mosquito nets
today.

With gratitude,

Caryl M. Stern
President & CEO
U.S. Fund for UNICEF

------------------------------------------------------------
The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work in more than 150
countries - to provide children with health care, clean water,
nutrition and emergency relief.

No other humanitarian organization has the reach, expertise or access
and influence to reach the greatest number of poor children with
lifesaving programs. 90% of every contribution goes directly toward
programmatic work.

TALK.TV: Nigerian Youth 11-11-11 Hunger Strike Against the ...

TALK.TV: Nigerian Youth 11-11-11 Hunger Strike Against the ...: Watch the live Broadcast VENUE: UNITY FOUNTAIN, NEAR TRANSCORP HILTON TIME: 9AM TILL 4PM TALK.TV Nigerian Youth 11-11-11 Hunger ...

Africans Arise...

‎​Nicholas Kristof, the New York Times great columnist, had done the writing. I did the reading and noticed a fundamental error. I corrected him so his fans won't be misled. At first, it sounded a bit crazy to the American people. But as they read me, many began to realise I knew the topic. Maybe a little bit better than a man who has reported in about 150 countries, studied in three continents, criss-crossed China, Japan and the axis of evil many times and visited Africa more than any other American writer! According to him, the main reason poor Africans in rural areas give birth to many children is because they expect some to die! I was discombobulated. So I told him why. Africans in villages don't bear many children because they expect some to die. But because of many reasons. Lack of education. Lack of family planning education. Cultural biases. And above all poverty. In villages here, most times, there is lack of electricity. When it's 6pm, everywhere gets dark. Mosquitoes invade the place and begin to bite them. With no distractions. Men retire to their bedrooms and have sex without condoms. Either because they don't know they exist or don't believe in them. As a result, their wives get pregnant like rabbits! Not because they expect them to die after 9 solid months of hard work. As Nicholas Kristof erroneously thought! (C) Simon Ateba

BE INSPIRED

I stumbled on a poem that a good friend of mine wrote to me few years back and then I decided to blog it to inspire you... Enjoy. poking into the past
I could only recall the days of serenity and dutifulness as friends
gazing helpfully into life blisses
that future promises us

as if to recall the good and continuous days of our academic years
I see the glory of a most promising brother/sister relationship
of qualitative future
irrespective of race and background

but I only now envisage a counter run as you could not say hi
even at the most dearth state of my young life
with the demise of my most adorable mother
whom i have no words to describe her exit

left to live now are persons with whom i have known
overtime to be a source of encouragement to my life
where are you is now the question i ask myself daily
with a flash on your phone to compliment my nee to keep in touch

why me(?) mayor? do you not wish me see, hear from you
the solemn n word
that used to keep my faith in Christ?
wherewithal will you want me be?
(by nwaekwu samuel, june 2009(c))

NAYDBlog: World's Young Environmentalists end 2011 Bandung T...

NAYDBlog: World's Young Environmentalists end 2011 Bandung T...: The 2011 TUNZA Youth and Children’s Conference was held from Tuesday, the 27 th of September to 1st of October 2011 in Bandung, West Java, ...

NAYDBlog: Unlocking the Youth Potential for Africa’s Develop...

NAYDBlog: Unlocking the Youth Potential for Africa’s Develop...: According to the United Nations World Youth Report (2010), young people under the age of 35 comprise 60 per-cent of the continent’s total po...

NAYDBlog: A Drug Free Continent

NAYDBlog: A Drug Free Continent: Truly speaking, a lot has been said about the youths of today. Arguments have been pitted and in most cases it is a wakeup call for the yout...

NAYDBlog: Young people to write new UNAIDS strategy on youth...

NAYDBlog: Young people to write new UNAIDS strategy on youth...: UNAIDS will use crowdsourcing technologies and social media platforms to engage young people in developing AIDS policy GENEVA, 25 October 2...

NAYDBlog: Young people to write new UNAIDS strategy on youth...

NAYDBlog: Young people to write new UNAIDS strategy on youth...: UNAIDS will use crowdsourcing technologies and social media platforms to engage young people in developing AIDS policy GENEVA, 25 October 2...

7 Billion Campaign Youth Actions held in Abuja...

Nigeria is populated with about 167million people, with about 75percent of young people... On the 31st of October 2011, the global population reached a mark of 7 billion and in Nigeria, about 167 million. This has huge implications on sustainability, urbanization, access to health care services and youth empowerment considering that a third of Nigeria’s population is made up of young people ages 10 -25 years old.
With a population of 167 million people and in a world of 7 billion, how do the government and young people access their roles and responsibilities in making sure collaborative efforts are geared towards tackling emerging social problems considering the unique demographic dynamics.
Themed “Nigeria Demographics: Opportunities and Challenges,” UNFPA in collaboration with Education as a Vaccine (EVA), Save the Children Nigeria and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) brought together young leaders from the six geographical zone of Nigeria to brainstorm on different developmental challenges and opportunities that exist.
The core issues that were discussed include- Education, Health, Environment/Climate Change, Unemployment and ICT. Different challenges facing this generation were raised, with outlined responsibilities youth and government can tackle these issues.
EDUCATION
Challenges
 Low access to education particularly for the girl child and marginalized youths such as Young people in prison, rehab centers, young people with disabilities and almajiris
 Low quality of education at all levels
 Low enforcement of policies relating to education



Recommendations to Government/Policy makers
 Government should create more vocational opportunities for alternative education such as training centers
 Government should review and update national education policy framework so that the content of the policies can be relevant to present day social needs of young people
 Government should ensure meaningful youth participation in reviewing National Education Policies
 Government should also increase budgetary allocation by 30% in order to meet the educational needs of the Nigerian youth population
 Government should prioritize female education by giving incentives for girl-child education
Youth Actions
 Young people should encourage volunteering in rural areas to implement community projects in rural areas, create after school programs, and embrace mentorship
 Build an online directory as well as hard copy of existing opportunities of where and how to volunteer locally
 Young people should advocate that youth schooling abroad should come home and share their skills for at least two-years, especially those studying abroad on government scholarship
ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Challenges
• Climate change and environmental degradation causes different health hazard e.g. cancer
• It also contributes to low productivity & food insecurity
• Increase in the rate of migration
• Socio-economic life is affected e.g. leisure, education
Recommendation to Government/Policy makers
• Provide more Education and create awareness to address environmental issues
• Develop policy framework on Sanitation/Habitation
• Support youth-led environmental projects
• Promote alternative and renewable energy
• Mainstreaming youth into policy and decision making processes
• Promote Green economy & Sustainable development
Youth Actions
• Peer mentoring
• Develop community projects on tree planting and nurturing of trees
• Work with Government and other stakeholders to implement policy and projects
• Promote indigenous knowledge and use of local technology that are energy efficient
• Provide incentives and alternative source of livelihood to local communities especially those that are fully dependent on natural resources .e.g. trees
HEALTH
Challenges
 Sexual and reproductive health challenges like prevalence of STIs/HIV/AIDS, contraceptive usage, teenage/unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, early childbearing, negative cultural practices like FGM, early marriage, etc.
 The problem of the current NHIS scheme of the federal government not covering unemployed youths many of whom cannot afford high cost of health services
 Negative cultural/traditional/religious beliefs & values that do not promote the sexual and reproductive health and rights of youths especially female youths such as issues of early marriage, denial of decision-making rights on the number and spacing of their children, lack of access to contraceptive usage, etc.
Recommendation to Government/Policy makers
 Provision of youth friendly health services/centres across the country where young people can have their special needs on sexual and reproductive health issues met
 Ensuring the implementation of the national family life, HIV/AIDS education curriculum in all primary and secondary schools across the country and putting a mechanism in place to monitor implementation in urban and grassroots
 Go beyond the NHIS scheme to have a health care plan that is targeted at youths especially the unemployed
Youth Actions
 Advocacy activities by young people to influence health policies through gathering petitions and at the same time, getting feedback from the people to policy makers
 Voluntary activism in health related services such as HIV counseling and testing, health sensitization and promotion activities, etc.
 Organise sensitization programmes in our various organisations targeted especially to the grassroots to debunk negative cultural and religious beliefs that hinder young people from accessing adequate health care services especially with regards to their sexual and reproductive health.
ICT
Challenges
 Low funding
 Poor Infrastructure – electricity, optic fibre cables, personnel
 Lack of access to ICT tools (Schools/out – of schools)
 There is no adequate access to ICT training opportunities in local regions
 There is a high rate of gender imbalance in access to ICT training opportunities

Recommendation to Government/Policy makers
 Policy strengthening/Passing the ICT cyber crime bill
 Providing infrastructure/ maintenance
 Establishment of ICT incubation centres (e.g Silicon Valley)
 Mainstreaming ICTs in Youth development Centres- Nationally
 Need driven effective training to capture people at the grass root and the disabled (need assessment before implementing projects)
Youth Actions
 Develop interest in ICT education
 Use social networks positively
 Develop electronic applications to solve challenges ( health, education, elections/governance, crime)
 Capacity building for our peers
 Need driven effective training to capture people at the grass root and the disabled
EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
CHALLENGES
 Poor dissemination of information on Government’s employment creation strategies and policies
 Inadequate commitment by the Government towards the enforcement of local content laws that are meant to support local initiatives and boost domestic production.
 Failure of the education system to produce relevant resources for market needs.
 Agriculture potentially remains the highest youth employment sector of the economy but has long been abandoned due to many factors ranging from government effort to oil diversity to lack of resources for agricultural development.

Recommendation to Government/Policy makers
 Establishment of information dissemination agencies in hinterlands and rural areas.
 Revive and establish “one-stop youth incubation and development centers” with research and development mandate in every state and to promote entrepreneurship/business plan competitions as an on-going exercise.
 A specific strategy on political will to ensure the enforcement of every effort impacting on employment and entrepreneurship.
 Agriculture should be run with creative incentives and more attractive credit (and other resources e.g. Access to land) facilities.

Youth Actions
 Involvement of Youth organizations/groups in the following areas:
(i) More advocacy for government support towards creating enabling environment for employment and entrepreneurship efforts
(ii) More monitoring, assessment and evaluation activities on government efforts
(iii) More efforts towards peer capacity building/training efforts for employability skills and enterprise development (in collaboration with government, Development Partners and
private sector organizations). Thanks to:
UNDPA,SAVE THE CHILDREN NIGERIA, EDUCATION AS A VACCINE, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and to all the participants... www.truelydynamic.blogspot.com