YEDI to Empower 4,000 Youths at Summer

All is now set for the 5th annual summer holiday camp organised by Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (YEDI), a Non-Governmental Organisation. Tagged Skillz Holiday Camp, the youth-focused non-residential free camp sponsored by global energy giant, ExxonMobil and M.A.C AIDS Fund, will meaningfully engage 4,000 young people between the ages of 10 and 19 in disadvantaged communities in Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Ogun State through a blend of fun and actionable learning activities on healthy living.

YEDI’s Executive Director, Oje Ivagba, said participants would be provided safe spaces to learn healthy habits, important life skills and prevention tips for diseases like Malaria and HIV/AIDS; along with other sexual and reproductive health instructions, using football, games, and other fun activities in an interactive environment.

Ivagba stressed the importance of positively engaging young people during the long holiday, a period where youths are most ‘vulnerable’. “This is a period where youths are most vulnerable; because they have a lot of idle time and are exposed to negative peer pressure that increases their likelihood of engaging in risky activities. Our approach, therefore, is the introduction of Grassroot Soccer curriculum which combines football drills, games and other physical activities, with health education curriculum delivery, vital discussions and biomedical interventions, like HIV testing in a safe, fun and interactive environment,” he noted.

YEDI’s Programmes Director, Tomisin Adeoye, said the camps would run for eight hours per day over five days. Participants will experience series of exciting activities that will engage them for the whole day handled by trained volunteers who will serve as Coaches. “Some of the activities include registration, orientation, physical exercise breakfast, lunch, bed-net demonstration; talent hunt and exhibition where they are all given an opportunity to showcase and hone their skills; Quiz competition; and several other activities,” she explained, adding that locations and specific dates are available on YEDI’s website: www.yedi.ng.