Young Leaders Club Bauchi The deeply flawed 2007 elections represented a step backwards in Nigerias democratic development process. As one of the most vibrant sectors of the society, youth play a critical role in reviving democratic development in the country, and must be actively engaged in the political process. Unfortunately, youth political participation in Nigeria often takes the form of violence. High unemployment rates and general disappointment with the political system leave youth susceptible to corrupt politicians who recruit them into personal militias and use them to reinforce their control over state resources. In Bauchi state, in north-east Nigeria, these youth are popularly known as yan sara-suka which translated from Hausa to English means children of sara-suka. The sara-suka are mostly secondary school dropouts who are used by politicians to instigate violence and participate in under-aged voting. The Bauchi state government has initiated several vocational training programs to get these children off the streets, but this is only a temporary remedy.
In February 2009, politically instigated ethno-religious clashes broke out in Bauchi state. Lives and property were lost, and the army was dispatched to restore order after the police was overpowered by gangs of rampaging sara-suka. Relative stability has returned to the state, but Bauchi has a history of ethno-religious strife, and there are concerns that violence in the state may spill over into neighboring Plateau state, which is still recovering from politically motivated ethno-religious riots that claimed a significant number of lives in December 2008. The Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) is a non-governmental organization with years of experience in actively involving youth in socio-democratic and community development programs.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
* To develop leadership skills among youth, and strengthen their understanding of the fundamentals of democracy and human rights.
A NED SUPPORTED PROJECT : To find out more about this PROJECT - Call Karu Simon on +234803 555 6678 , +234802 837 9237 or Visit www.youngleadersclubbauchi.org |
