By SundiataPOST, Abuja
Hajiya Amina Abdullahi, Director, Nigerian National Volunteer Service (NNVS), has called on Nigerian youths to inculcate the habit of volunteerism for sustainable development in the country.
Abdullahi made the call on Tuesday as part of activities commemorating the International Volunteer Day, with the theme, “Youth Volunteering for a Better World” in Abuja.
According to her, volunteerism can be for humanity, physical labour and also to assist the less privileged in the society.
“If the youth are engaged in volunteerism, it will go a long way in making the country a better place; money is not everything, volunteerism is the willingness to be involved in community development.
“Youth volunteerism also provides opportunities for youth employment and entrepreneurship; some communities rely on volunteers to raise funds for community projects.
“The youth can identify ways of building their own community positively, as a way of contributing their quota to the society,’’ Abdullahi said.
The founder, Fresh and Young Brains Development Initiative, an NGO, Miss Nkiru Nnaemego, said there was need to introduce peer mentoring for the youth to teach in various aspects of community building.
“The government is doing its part, the youth should be able to support government positively; through volunteerism, the youth can get to develop their skills and acquire new ones.
“It could be on different issues in the society like HIV and AIDS, climate change and environment,’’ she said.
Nnaemego said youths could benefit from volunteerism if they expanded their horizon, knowledge base, contribute to leadership and the rule of law.
She said the purpose of the this year’s programme was to train youths in Mpape community, to enlighten them on what community volunteerism was about and the essence of contributing to the community.
The Programme Officer, UN Volunteers, Miss Maureen Tyo, said it was important for the youth to imbibe the spirit of volunteerism, to contribute their quota to the society.
“Youths should volunteer, as they would be recognised for their good works; in volunteerism nothing is small or too big.
“The youth should see themselves as building blocks of the nation and also an integral part of the nation-building,” Tyo said.
The International Volunteerism Day is celebrated globally on Dec. 5 annually.
