Following the outcome of our project review/kick up meeting, SELL Resource team alongside the SELL volunteers in Jos community embarked on courtesy visits to stakeholders and partners in Jos, Plateau state.
The purpose of the visits was to seek ways of collaboration and to consolidate on the efforts of other likeminded organizations in Plateau state towards peace building and community development. The visits were in line with our work in SELL Foundation Nigeria as we continue to strive for peace and development through our formative and transformative programme with support from SELL volunteers across the North east and Plateau State.
To this effect, a brief meeting was held with stakeholders, among which include: Centre for Community Actions for Peace and Development (CCAPAD), Plateau Peace practitioner Network (PPPN), Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), New Era Educational and Charitable Support Foundation, Youth Wing Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) Plateau state command and the National/Provincial Chaplain of Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria (CYON).
Discussions with all the stakeholders centered on young people as machinery for peace and development in the community. The meeting was also an opportunity to introduce the SELL volunteers in Jos community to likeminded organisations and also create awareness on SELL programme and to intimate stakeholders on our forth coming project on Child Safeguarding, Peace and Conflict Resolution and Gender Reconciliation.
Peace Building and Trauma Healing Centre Jos was our first point of call where Beji Jibe, SELL Team Leader thanked the chairman of Plateau Peace Practitioners Network Mr. Mugu Bako for his support towards promoting peace through youth empowerment in Jos and the nation in general. The team leader informed Mr. Mugu of the presence of SELL volunteers in Jos who have continued to champion the course of peace in their communities. Responding, Mr Bako who was pleased with the work SELL has done and continues to do in the areas of peace and empowerment promised to support the SELL volunteers in Jos community to foster peace and development by providing them with necessary capacity development needed to perform effectively.
Similarly, with the reported incidence of violence in some parts of Jos and its environs that claims lives and properties, PPRO Plateau state command promised to give his full support to SELL volunteers in the areas of peace building through the peace clubs formed by SELL Foundation to enhance lasting peace in Jos.
Mr. Ahmed Salihu, Executive Director CCAPAD also expressed his joy on how SELL has impacted the lives of young adults and vulnerable groups in North East and Plateau State. He stated that SELL and CCAPAD have similar vision and mission which is geared towards building peaceful communities. He added that their project aims at de-radicalization of the minds of Muslim and Christian youths and it also empowers them for self reliance. He added, with support from the Mennonite Central Committee, CCAPAD is working to address rising level of social decadence, religious extremism and radicalism as recipes for terrorism to reconstruct the minds of the vulnerable Muslims and Christian Youths.
The National/Provincial Chaplain Very Rev Fr Denis Kaye thanked SELL Foundation for the start-up loan scheme that was given to the volunteers in Jos and across the province. He challenged and encouraged the SELL volunteers and other youth groups to embrace the opportunity given to them to be self reliant as they go about with volunteering work.
The advocacy activities climaxed with a meeting with the SELL volunteers in Jos community to review their poultry farm business and other key SELL activities in the community and also set modalities for the selection of new sets of trainees.
We thank all our stakeholders and partners in Jos for their support and collaborations towards SELL activities. Think and Choose!
