We need more of Project Save-A-Future
It was American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead who reportedly said that ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.’
Truly, society gets better when citizens focus on what they can contribute in combating the myriads of challenges bedeviling the society, rather than complaining about them. Collaborative efforts by individuals, who are committed to employing their resources, talents, passion and ideas to improve lives of others, will no doubt make tremendous impact in the quest to transform a society for the better.
It is in this light that we consider laudable and worthy of emulation the ‘Project Save A Future’ by Enactus UNILAG, a team of young and dynamic student leaders dedicated to creating sustainable and positive change within their spheres of influence, with a proven track record in carrying out community-based projects in and around Lagos, in several fields.
The project, which is targeted primarily at young school leavers as well as those who, though of school age, have not been in school at all, will pool resources and funds that will be channeled into sending these children back to school.
According to a recent survey by the International Labour Organisation, a United Nations agency, in Nigeria, an estimated 15 million children of school age under the age of 14 are involved in menial labour such as street vending, car washing, shoe shining, or simply begging. A majority of these children do it to augment the income of their parents and/or guardians, a development that clearly negates the Child Rights Act.
As part of the global Enactus, a non-profit student-based organisation primarily designed to proffer creative solutions to challenges facing people and communities around the world, the UNILAG team believes that education should be inclusive as it is the right of every child and access to basic education is one of the key targets of the Millennium Development Goals.
For the first stage of the project, the team plans to use part of the funds in training and empowering those persons who have gotten their basic education but are not gainfully or legally employed. These set of people will be given vocational training in relevant fields capable of significantly increasing their income and then grant them access to seed funds to enable them start their small scale businesses or, alternatively, get attached to other companies.
The project, in its second phase, aims to empower parents who subject their children to child labour as a result of poverty, with vocational skills and setting them up to start their businesses or attaching them to other outfits.
Borrowing from the vision of Enactus UNILAG, we believe that if more Nigerians are collectively driven by strong values, passionate enough to inspire others, talented enough to create opportunities and filled with positive ideas to build a healthier, more prosperous and peaceful Nigeria beginning from their immediate communities, Nigeria will be a better place.
Enactus, coined from the words ‘entrepreneurial, action and us’, is a community of student, academic and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better more sustainable world.
Known as Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) until October 1, 2012, Enactus mobilises university students to make a difference in their communities while developing the skills to become socially responsible business leaders. Participating students form teams on their campuses and apply business concepts to develop outreach projects that improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need.
To be sure, Project Save A Future is a pragmatic approach towards addressing the societal challenges of child illiteracy and child labour in Nigeria and should be generously supported by governments and well-heeled Nigerians to enable Enactus UNILAG carry out the project successfully.