HREP, IGAHAF Join Forces to Strategically Empower Youth Graduates

The Human Rights and Empowerment Project Ltd/Gte (HREP) and the Ignatius Aguowo Health and Academic Foundation (IGAHAF) have launched a strategic partnership to train young graduates in special skills to develop their leadership qualities as they transition into active work life in society.

This empowerment program, initiated by Barrister Gozie Francis Moneke, the Executive Director of HREP, is designed as a five-year plan. It involves a synergistic collaboration with the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) to target young graduates nationwide who are undergoing the compulsory one-year national service.

During a press conference to announce the commencement of the youth empowerment program, Barr. Moneke emphasized the importance of strengthening the program’s operational framework through a symbiotic partnership with IGAHAF. IGAHAF is a non-governmental organization (NGO) with a rich history of sponsoring and promoting educational and healthcare support services. This collaboration aims to provide comprehensive support and opportunities for young men and women, enhancing their skills and leadership capabilities to better prepare them for their future careers.

He highlighted that, “IGAHAF has granted scholarships to over 500 students in various schools (primary, secondary and tertiary) across the federation. And every year more scholars are enlisted into the prestigious scholarship on a competitive basis, with special bias for indigent but brilliant students who but for the scholarship may not be able to get good education. IGAHAF has also devoted much of its funds to providing health care services and paying the hospital bills of many indigent patients.”

“These noble works of IGAHAF are all to the credit of the brain behind the Foundation, Ozo Ignatius Aguowo – a business mogul from Nibo town in Anambra State, whose generous donations towards funding the charitable activities of IGAHAF speak eloquently to his inimitable sense of altruism, magnanimity, patriotism and empathy”, said the HREP Boss.

Furthermore, he said that, “HREP on the other hand is an NGO that seeks to promote human rights in Nigeria through public interest litigation, and through the education and economic empowerment of people. HREP believes that illiteracy and poverty predispose people to abuse of their fundamental human rights.”

“It is in this connection that HREP solicited and secured the benevolent support of IGAHAF to organize a five year empowerment program, which aims at building the leadership, intellectual, innovative and entrepreneurial capacities of young graduates in Nigeria. The program is intended to boost the capacity of these young graduates to survive, thrive and succeed in Nigeria, whilst bringing a new breath of air to leadership in country.”

Barrister Gozie Francis Moneke elaborated that the program is envisioned as a revolving and all-encompassing moral rearmament initiative. It aims to address the myriad challenges facing young people, such as drug use, wrong values, lack of patriotism, decadence, and other societal vices. These issues often arise due to the lack of proper training and reorientation as young graduates transition from the school system into the real world. The program intends to provide the necessary guidance and support to help them navigate these challenges and foster positive values and behaviors.

“The empowerment program, which HREP will be embarking on in the next 5 years will therefore seek to change the orientation of these young graduates who are the potential leaders of our country in the nearest future, by inculcating in them the culture of selfless leadership and the rewards that come with it. It will seek to imbue in them the virtues of honesty, accountability, probity and empathy, while also cultivating in them the disciplines of patriotism, hard-work and creativity.”

He also, noted that, “all these positive attributes are the accoutrements that are requisite for surviving in hard times, which are also conducive to social transformation. With this sort of impactful and strategic training, the youths will be sufficiently equipped for personal positive accomplishments and more importantly, to contribute immensely towards engendering the critical changes that are urgently germane for the redemption of our country Nigeria.”

Overall, the HREP collaboration with IGAHAF is expected to strengthen the operational framework of the program and enhance its impact on young graduates.

The impressive press conference featured notable attendees, including Mrs. Gloria Abanihe, the Executive Director of IGAHAF, and Chigozie Goodnews, an HIREP Program Officer. Representatives from several media organizations were also present, highlighting the significance of the event and the broad interest in the youth empowerment initiative.