By; Juliana Katung, Kaduna.
Going by the increase in the recruitment of youths into network of violence, extremists and radicalism in the country, a non governmental organization, Micro Development Consulting limited has kicked off 18 months positive voices campaign project (PVC) in five states of the federation with high record of crises with the drive to enlighten the Nigerian public on the need to embrace peaceful coexistence.
Briefing newsmen in Kaduna on the project, the CEO MicroDevelopment, Hajiya Furera Isma Jumare said the MDCL recognize a gap in the effective use of the soft approach mechanism in Nigeria to counter violent extremism in at risk youths to complement the already existing hard approach.
According to her, the project is to use positive voices to increase resilience of youths to extremist narratives and the participants in the project has to be selected based on pre-determined criteria from various vocations in three local governments in each of the target states.
She added that the participants will be trained in project management, strategies for working with young people, leading self and others, communication for leaders, conflict management and ethics.
Hajiya Jumare noted that the project which also target developing and using positive narratives to promote positive values, encourage positive sense of identity as well as promote tolerance for diversity in target audience, will carry out community engagement initiatives that are relevant to the aspirations and future concerns of at risk youths in each target community.
“The community engagement initiatives will be determined based assessment carried out through quantitative and qualitative data capturing, and the bedrock of the PV delivery will be effective and efficient communication strategy, she noted “.
She stressed that the project will be governed by governing board of relevant stakeholders who will represent essential perspectives that will aim at project success.
In his remark, PVCP Project Manager, Innocent Yamusa explained that the pilot project would be on simultaneously in five key states of Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Plateau and Yobe.
“The urgent need in creating awareness; gaining acceptance and sustaining the understanding amongst the target audience groups especially the youth has become essential.
“This is to say that they will not only participate, but imbibe the messages and narratives, and then become role models for other youths in their various localities,” he said.
He explained that to further publicized PVCP, the campaign would be taken to all the states of the federation.
