By Zainab Olufunmi
The Network for Youth Enlightenment and Development (N-YED) has inaugurated education support initiative for out-of-school children to mark the 2025 World Youth Day.
This year’s N-YED International Youth Day as with the theme: “Local Youth Action for SDGs a Beyond.”
The Executive Director of N-YED, Amb. Abdulsalam Haruna, who spoke during the inauguration said at the project titled Student Per Philanthropist Initiative (SPPI), seeks to connect children who cannot afford schooling with philanthropists willing to sponsor their education.
He said youths are backbone of every society and urge them to not despair.
According to him,“the major setbacks among young people is lack of education.
He said this project will engage philanthropists in communities to adopt, sponsor out-of-school children and youths.
In the same vein, Mr. Sadiq Muhammad, Programme Lead of Tax Justice, urged young people to take ownership of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said that the SDGs were a global framework adopted by the United Nations to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all.
“The SDGs has 17 targets to address social, economic and environmental challenges.
“Our youths will beneficit of the goals and be active agents of change.
“Today’s generation is the largest in history with 1.8 billion young people worldwide. With our energy, creativity and innovation, we are uniquely positioned to generate fresh ideas and practical solutions,” he said.
He added that though progress had been recorded, more effort was required to achieve the goals before 2030.
On his part, Amb. Adam, Executive Director, Societal-Based Initiative for Rights, Peace and Development, urged young people to see themselves as problem-solvers rather than problems in society.
