We consider this a unique initiative because:
1
Programs that focus on youths tend to place more emphasis on improving the health of youths.
This is good, but it is equally important to strengthen the role of youths in improving the health of members of their community including their health.
CHESIDS seeks to strengthen youth-led interventions in underserved rural or urban slum communities towards improved health outcomes.
We want youths to play a more active role in identifying the problems, pressure testing them with community members and key stakeholders, leading the design of the proposed intervention, and leading the execution of the proposed intervention.
CHESIDS will support youths to act as social change agents.
2
By partnering with young people, this initiative will build a pipeline of young people with relevant entry-level field experience and skills to serve in Nigeria’s development sector.
This contributes to strengthening human capacity development for public health stewardship which is regrettably currently focused on re-training of mid/senior management personnel.
3
This intervention has the following attributes...
This intervention has the following attributes: it responds to the initiative and aspirations of the local community; Involves a local contribution of land, supervision, operation, and management; maintained and operated by the local community; Improves basic social conditions in the community;
Benefits a large number of people through high impact, quickly implemented activities; was completed within 6 months and doesn’t require additional external funds to maintain; has visible benefits for the community and is self-sustaining.
4
This intervention promotes constructive inter-ethnic co-existence...
…which is so crucial in a country experiencing conflicts fueled by ethnic and religious intolerance.
The youth that led this intervention is not an indigene of the community but went ahead to propose and lead the execution of the intervention primarily because he saw a need.
Even the traditional rulers of the community acknowledged and lauded Eziedo and CHESIDS for promoting this constructive approach to community development that shuns ethnic/religious prejudice.
5
Nigeria’s population
Nigeria’s population is currently at 182m with more than 50% under the age of 30 years.
This has compelled us to focus on programs at this teeming and energetic population group.