Sustainable development cannot be achieved in Africa without the establishment of an effective intergeneration partnership for sustainability among the young people and the other generation. If Africa has challenges today, these are mere preludes to the looming threats of tomorrow. The youth have deep stakes in the future and we are eager to contribute our quota. The future belongs to us. The youths are full of ideas and we are waiting to share them


Why do we not involve the young people from Africa? An environment where elders believed that they have the monopoly of knowledge cannot lead into a sustainable future!. “Provide all, especially children and youth, with educational opportunities that empower them to contribute actively to Sustainable development.” (Earth Charter 2000).

As a follow up to my participation at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development 17th session and in line with my Earth Charter Special Project, I am organizing a “Dialogue with the Elders Forum” on Intergeneration Partnership for Sustainability with grant from Earth Charter International on June 6th in Abuja.

The "Dialogue with the Elders" Forum is in partnership with Youth Aid Organization for Africa (YAOFA) and will focus more on the Earth Charter as a tool for achieving environmental sustainability and Intergenerational Partnership for Sustainability among youths and older generations. "Based on the conviction that intergenerational partnerships are essential for achieving a just, sustainable, and peaceful world".


The meeting is aimed at bringing all youths in the Earth Charter Family to meet with Earth Charter Nigeria "Elders" as well as bring more youths into the Earth Charter Youth Initiative family and also inspire the formation of new Earth Charter youth Groups across the country. It will also afford us the opportunity to meet with invited guests who have a role to play in sustainability issues in Nigeria like the media, government and CSOs and people living in a community.

Date : June 6th 2009
Venue: Conference Room, Youth Aid Organization for Africa (YAOFA), 983,
Ahmadu Bello way, Opposite Legislative
Quarters, Apo, Abuja

Be there!!

Hello,
I'd love to make connections with CLCWA members in Bauchi and Kebbi states. I'll be joining you guys very soon.

Please contact me personally by email: aniekanekah@gmail.com or on phone: 08069387465.

Waiting to hear from you.

Aniekan Ekah
CLCWA
Akwa Ibom

“The Earth Charter Initiative” is an extraordinarily diverse, global network of people, organizations, and institutions that participate in promoting and implementing the values and principles of the Earth Charter.

The Initiative is a broad-based, voluntary, civil society effort. Participants include leading international institutions, national governments and their agencies, university associations, non-government organizations and community-based groups, city governments, faith groups, schools and businesses – as well as thousands of individuals."(www.earthcharter.org)

As part of the Earth Charter Initiative there is a bold, diverse and dynamic action-oriented youth network that promotes the principles of the Earth Charter among young people. This youth network involves active young people from over 70 countries, with more than 45 Earth Charter Youth Groups (ECYGs) and numerous partners around the world. The Youth Leadership Team and the International Youth Facilitator offer guidance to the youth network.

Earth Charter Youth Initiative Nigeria is made up of entrepreneurial youth activists committed to promoting the Earth Charter and sustainable national development through various ways like youth action projects, workshops on the Earth Charter and volunteerism.

Earth Charter Youth Initiative Nigeria through Earth Charter Youth Calabar is implementing a project called “Understanding and discovering the purpose of Earth Charter in achieving the MDGs: Towards environmental sustainability and peace building in the Niger Delta”. The project is one of the 6 Earth Charter International-funded projects. Earth Charter International funds the most outstanding project plans.

Project activities includes Workshop on the Earth Charter leading to Action projects and a “Dialogue with the Elders Forum on Intergenerational Partnership for Sustainability”.

Earth Charter Youth Initiative Nigeria is proud to have it active member as a member of the International Youth Leadership Team (YLT) in the person of Timothy Ogene representing Africa and the Middle East. We are also proud that the coordinator of Earth Charter Youth Group Calabar will be participating at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UN CSD) 17th Session in New York May, 2009 with the generous support of the German Government.


Earth Charter Youth Initiative Nigeria Invites you to join us in make Nigeria become “ a more just, sustainable and people world”

For More info, please contact:
Esther at ecygcalabar@yahoo.com
Timothy at togene@earthcharterinaction.org

PEACE

My style of communication basically involves the use of my native language and foreign languages so far it conveys the real meaning of the things I communicate to other people. My communication style might have a sight effect on my project depending on the context of usage. It is possible for one to understand certain facts about my project irrespective of cultural differencies because it is based on youth development context. Tailoring my style of communication to suit the needs of potential funders to my project might be neccesary because it is important for them to see things from our own point of view and also, to understand how our culture reacts to innovations through projects such as ours. Communication with different cultures is quite neccessary for my project especially during setting up my team, locating potential volunteers, partners, collaborators and funders. It's cool to have everyone react to issues from their cultural point of view. This gives room for changes, reinforcements and adaptability.

The Earth Chater Youth Group Calabar,Nigeria was established as a memebr of the Earth Charter Youth Initiative on October 2007.
The Earth Charter Youth Initiative (ECYI) is a bold, diverse network convinced that urgent action is required to bring about a just, sustainable, and peaceful world. The ECYI holds that sustainability must be understood and implemented in a holistic and integrated manner, inclusive of ecological integrity, social and economic justice, and democracy, nonviolence, and peace. The ECYI is active in over 50 countries and at the global level, with a diverse Membership, Youth Groups, and Partners(www.eartchaterinaction.org)

The ECYG Calabar, Nigeria is currently working passionately and with active participation of the entire Nigerian Earth Charter Youths and "Elders" on a Peace-Building and Environmental sustainability project using the Earth Charter as a tool with grants from Earth Charter International.

We invite all Nigerian Youths espercaily those of us living and working in the Portharcourt and Warri to join from Feb-March 2009.

Happy New Year.

For more information, please contact the Project Coordinator, Esther Agbarakwe at ecygcalabar@yahoo.com

I am declaring 2009 a youth activism year. I believe that we've learnt so much in 2008 and 2009 is the right time for us to motivate other young people all over the world to take positive steps towards emerging global issues.

Wouldnt it be wise for us to make it part of our new year resolution to 'BE THE CHANGE'?

I'll be presenting on Enhancing Learning skills with the Internet. The purpose of my presentation will be to promote ICT awareness, encouraging the use of Internet to enhance learning, raise awareness of participants around global issues via the takingitglobal (TIG) website and to help participants search for resources on the Internet and know exactly where and how to find them.rnrnPotential audience will include young people (male and female) from high school level to university.rnrnThe location is that our state (Akwa Ibom State-Nigeria) Library complex (Multi-purpose hall).

I attended the Peer Education Session held hosted by GYCA Akwa Ibom State. It was fun as I had an opporunity to learn about basic facts of HIV/AIDS. I also give it up for Mr. Rotimi Olawale (GYCA Taskforce), he was good! He spoke on the attitude of young people toward behaviour change and also, Mrs. Emem Xavier from Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health took the basic fact aspect. I really learnt a lot. I am looking forward to another session next year. Attendance was good, entertainment fine...
I'm glad I attended this year's session!

Having accessed WorldBlu's (www.worldblu.com/orgdemo/principles.php) 10 Principles, I've identified TWO principles to reach your projects goals. They include:rnrnPURPOSE AND VISIONrnI was intorduced into youth activism in 2006 by an online friend and I started running youth-led organizations in my neighbourhood. What I and members of my team was that we lack experience in defining what our purpose and vision was and sticking to it. Because of this lapses, we folded-up immediately irrespective of the lofty programs we listed to be executed.rnrnHaving had a reason to clearly define my project's purpose and vision, I have know how to set this and how we could stick to it thus, achieving our set goal. THis is what I will also encourage among my team members. Clearly defining one's project's purpose and vision serves as a yardstick and guideline towards achieveing a set goal.rnrnrnREFLECTION + EVALUATIONrnI hosted an MDGS awareness woskhop in 2007 without evaluating the impact it made on the participants and this stopped me from providing the necessary follow-up for that project. I might not say that we failed but reflecting and evaluating a project's outcome can help one's next project to be better.rnI will adopt this principle in my subsequent projects and be sure to monitor its effect and outcomes on my target audience.

Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS GYCA Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Nigeria cordially invite you to a 1-day Peer Education Session on HIV/AIDS tagged: "Young People... take the lead, stop AIDS! "to
commemorate the forth-coming World AIDS Day.

This event is holding at Esther Akpan Christian Foundation, 11 Ukpong Ebet Street, Opposite Phenson Street, Abak Road Housing, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Saturday 29th November, 2008 by 9:30am.

You will learn new and interesting things about HIV/AIDS and interact with other young leaders in attendance.

Please endeavour to attend on time and invite a friend too!

For more information, call me on 08069387465 or e-mail: aniekanekah@gmail.com

Hi everyone, What going on in CLC? I've been around and I'm currently involved in the 1st TIG e-course (Make It Happen). Its fun and exciting learning about web2.0, project management and lots of other project-related topics. You can view our course class at http://mih.tiged.org/

I'm saying 'Hello' to everyone on board. CLC 4 Life!

I believe that every young person in their generation is responsible for the peace of their generation; together we can all campaign for a violence free generation.

Let the PEACE campaign to start.

I have decided to start a social network page dedicated to peace it is a forum of young people who want to see a VIOLENCE free Generation.
Lets blog on the violence taking place in our various regions, lets post peace projects and initiatives, let’s discuss on Global peace.
We can no longer fold our hands and see violence continue in our regions, there is something we can do if not now? When? If not you? who?
In this forum you would find the latest projects and initiatives on peace.

Please join me in this world wide campaign sign up www.y4gpeace.ning.com


Ogaga E. Maxwell
I have a dream and a passion for a violence free generation

-Set and define goals: Think through your goals for the project. What issues are you set to tackle? How much information do you have concerning these issues? Who is the project for? What is the purpose of the project? Who will be involved? Answering these questions will help young people decide how important their project is and how much commitment the team can dedicate to it. As you set short-term goals, make sure that they are measurable, attainable and move towards a long-term goal.rnrnPublicize your project: Put up posters in libraries, schools, and on notice boards. Circulate electronic flyer to everyone on your email list and ask them to pass it on to their friends. If appropriate, inform the local newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations about your project.rnrnUtilize the Internet: Send out an email with a link to your project’s website, post a blog, and schedule an online meeting with your friends or colleagues. The Internet is a good place for research, get yourself and your team members informed. If you already have a TIG account, you can refer your friends/team members to sign-up and if you don’t have now is a good time to start working on it.rnrnBuild connections with other groups: putting on a project collaboratively is a great way to get many people interested in your project.rnrnDuring the implementation of your project, you might encounter some problems. That’s normal. Remember with strength and perseverance one can succeed. Stay focused, committed, enthusiastic and determined! Constantly surround yourself with positive influences and connect to helpful resources.rnrnTo solve some problems while planning your project:rnrnUnderstand the problemrnrnBrainstorm possible solutionsrnrnChoose the best strategy to get it solved and;rnrnEvaluate the outcome of the solution you choose.

Most projects are susceptible to failure at the planning and implementation stages. Poorly/ill-planned projects cannot deliver the much-expected outcomes. This might arise from lack of proper research into working area, failure to identify the right people to work with, lack of focus on action plan, inappropriate execution of responsibilities by team members, lack of confirmation and follow-up of basic logistics needed for such a project and lots more. Moreover, during the implementation stage, young people fail to involve community leaders, staff of local organizations and even their friends.

The first notable unique challenge faced by young people is their inability to differentiate between their interest and passion. Another problem is creating an effective action plan and sticking to them. Most young people lack basic experience on creating an effective action plan and project goals cannot be identified as a result of this. Most young people planning projects are unable to organize or conduct needs assessment for their projects. Young people find it somewhat difficult to research into the key areas they are working on for maximum impact thus lacking basic information for on their proposed projects.By gathering adequate information, they would get to know about things that would interest them. By informing themselves, they will be more prepared to make the changes they want to see in the world and would also seek out sources inspiration to give them great ideas and rnrnhelp them find the strength to make their visions into reality.rnrnYoung people hardly stay focused to ensure the achievement of our goals even though there’s a concrete plan on ground. Young people tend retire almost immediately when they face any challenge of lack of committed team members, lack of funds and support for logistics. Lack of publicity and awareness on projects. Publicizing new projects can open doors to useful suggestions and contacts, support and free-will donations to encourage the project.