In this compelling episode, listeners are welcomed into the world of Chris Ibe, an impassioned advocate dedicated to making a profound impact on the lives of young people in Nigeria and across the globe. Chris shares his personal journey, highlighting his active role in international forums and significant projects like the Global School Intervention Project on Drug and Substance Abuse in Kenya in 2019. His unwavering commitment to empowering the youth shines as he discusses his efforts to provide essential tools and support to help them overcome various challenges, including drug abuse and cybercrime.
The conversation also delves into the details of the upcoming National Youth Summit on Drug and Substance Abuse Prevention, scheduled for November 28th and 29th. Chris emphasizes the summit's crucial role as a platform for youth engagement, learning, and collaboration in battling drug and substance abuse. The partnership with WFAD in Gothenburg, Sweden, underscores the global unity necessary for addressing these pressing issues.
Key Points:
Quotes:
“Let our young people be protected. Let our young people be engaged. Let our young people be meaningfully employed.”
“We are open for partnership. We want to share experiences. We want to work with you anywhere you are.”
Episode Links:
Drug Free America Foundation Links:
In this compelling episode, listeners are welcomed into the world of Chris Ibe, an impassioned advocate dedicated to making a profound impact on the lives of young people in Nigeria and across the globe. Chris shares his personal journey, highlighting his active role in international forums and significant projects like the Global School Intervention Project on Drug and Substance Abuse in Kenya in 2019. His unwavering commitment to empowering the youth shines as he discusses his efforts to provide essential tools and support to help them overcome various challenges, including drug abuse and cybercrime.
The conversation also delves into the details of the upcoming National Youth Summit on Drug and Substance Abuse Prevention, scheduled for November 28th and 29th. Chris emphasizes the summit's crucial role as a platform for youth engagement, learning, and collaboration in battling drug and substance abuse. The partnership with WFAD in Gothenburg, Sweden, underscores the global unity necessary for addressing these pressing issues.
Key Points:
Quotes:
“Let our young people be protected. Let our young people be engaged. Let our young people be meaningfully employed.”
“We are open for partnership. We want to share experiences. We want to work with you anywhere you are.”
Episode Links:
Drug Free America Foundation Links:
Welcome back podcast listeners today. I'm bringing you a, a marvelous individual who is doing some. Excellent work with African youths I've got with me today, Ambassador Chris Ibe, the executive director of the African youth initiative on crime prevention. And we're going to dive in and have a wonderful conversation today.
So we're glad you're, you're listening. So without further podcast.
Thank you very much, Dave. I'm so delighted Thank you very much. The honor is all mine. Before we really get into the African Youth Initiative on Crime Prevention, could you tell our listeners a little bit about yourself and, well, where in this world you are located?
Thank you very much. Um, like you introduced, my name is Ambassador Chris I Founder, Executive Director, African Youth Initiative on Crime Prevention. I'm in Nigeria, and I'm based in Lagos.
All right. So, You're the executive director of the African Youth Initiative on Crime Prevention. Can you tell me what, what inspired you to, to focus specifically on crime prevention among African youths? Thank you very much. Um, again, you know, the genesis of, uh, my activity can be traced down to my days in the university, University of Lagos.
By the university to attend a program, uh, the leadership program organized by Africa
n Leadership Africa. So they had a partnership with the best of Midwest. And, uh, as at that time, I was a diploma level. So, when
I moved to, uh, my degree, uh, the university nominated me based on my activities in the school, the university. At the time, I was elected as chairman of Students Forum Faculty of Education. I was also a member of, uh, the students, um, fellow, uh, that had the constitution, wrote the Constitution of the university student constitution, student Union, uh, in the university.
So after the program, it was a one year, very intensive one year training after the, uh, the training as a, as a condition for graduation and for passing.
We're asked to come up with initiatives that will solve societal challenges, that will bring solutions to societal challenges. So during that time, my university had so many issues relating to campus courtesy. Students were being killed, were being bullied, so many issues within the university community.
So, I had to choose, um, to certify the university community, uh, on the need, the role of youth, the role of students in bringing, uh, peace, in bringing safer, um, uh, university community. So that was how I first initiated the first, um, student leadership and crime prevention on Sundays. which attracted, um, so many, um, leaders, uh, so many security formations in Nigeria.
And the university was so happy about it. They were so happy. Upon my graduation, The university requested that I, I should replicate, um, the program to sensitize the youths, um, uh, about, uh, their role in the fight against, uh, campus autism, um, other related crime. So, I saw that, um, it was well accepted during, um, that time.
So when I passed out, I had some mentors, especially, um, my senior brother and my
cousin, they actually told is something that the society really needs and I should go further to consolidate, um, consolidate my, my, my, my activities. So that was how I ventured. I now ventured into the NGO one fully. What's the organization, Registar? And today, here we are. I think that is the genesis of my activities.
And it has really, um...
Regarding the level of, uh, poverty down here, poverty, crime, you know, so society, because people are really the victims. So that is what I can tell you how I started, African Youth Initiative That is a marvelous story that while you're in university, that, that leadership program, which sounds so, so intense and filled with, with knowledge and wisdom, and then to have the mentors, your, your senior brother and cousin, uh, to guide you and help you on this path. I'm wondering if you might elaborate a little bit more on the, the mission and the vision of the African youth initiative.
The vision of on crime prevention is to, um, to fight crime through development, you know, because we discovered that, uh, a well informed youth, Um, how do we get into crime and, uh, poverty has also induced, criminality, you know? So these are some of the things we have really looked into and, decided to go into it.
Uh, by way of developing our youths, getting them meaningfully engaged, which to a large extent takes them out of their criminal activities. And so that is actually the mission. We fight crime through youth development.
Because when they are not empowered, there is high tendency that they go into criminal activities, kind of meet up with their societal challenges, even their personal needs. So when they develop, they have one or two, uh, skills, uh, they become resilient, you know, to criminal activities. They wouldn't want to go, uh, into that.
So this is actually.
Have. So our vision is to have, um, 20
young Africans,
young African by 20, who are championing these, who have been empowered, champion, um, crime prevention through, uh, youth development. Challenge is, there's a whole lot of things going on in Africa. The leadership challenge we have as a continent, we challenged, by, by. So it has become the survival of, there is no design, no particular design, development, uh, for young people.
So, it leads young people to fight for themselves, and that, to a large extent, makes them desperate, you know? So, from desperation, you see them going into drugs, you see them going into... Irregular migration. you know, uh, radicalization, violent extremism, ethno
religious intolerance. So even terrorism, you know, um, Cybercrime is the order of the day here. So our mission and vision tends to redirect young people by way of structuring activities that will empower them, you know, that will give them the skill, uh, to be resilient when issues of crime, uh, can call it.
So these are some of the things we intend to achieve through our programs. Crime prevention and drug abuse. What are some of the unique challenges your youth are facing?
Yeah. The unique challenge we face here
is, uh, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's really, uh, you see young people,
uh, going to university without any job. They don't have skills and the government to a large extent, uh, are not committal in your development. So you see them getting frustrated, see them getting frustrated and by that alone, like I said earlier, they are forced to fight for themselves. It becomes a jungle thing.
It becomes survival of the fittest. So they are not being fully engaged. Their skills, potentials are not developed to the extent that they can sustain themselves. They can fend for themselves. So with all sorts of, uh, survival of the fittest activities. You see them crossing, uh,
Sahara Desert with their legs. You see them crossing the Mediterranean Sea, uh, just to find a greener pasture. So with our activities here, we kind of develop and empower them and stabilize them to sit beyond, uh, that immediate, uh, desperation, you know. So when our youths are actually empowered here, uh, developed and empowered here, there will be no need for desperation which leads into, uh, all manner of criminal activity.
So. Greatest challenge here. Poverty, you know, and to a large extent, um, leadership too. I'll always that Adequate leadership. There is no adequate young people like the Russian. They will find, they will find a way for themselves. Remember, they have energy. Remember, they have passion. Remember, they want to explore.
So if you don't get a program that will channel their energies, definitely something else will get their energies. And that is where you see all manner of criminal activities. Of them. So ins abuse, some of go as far as trafficking, uh, trafficking are ending up in or being harm across the world. So a very big issue, uh, for, for, for, for, for us.
Yeah. I like how you, you articulated that around energy and they're gonna put their energy into to something and Yeah. And you mentioned, you know, engaging the youth. What about engaging community members and other organizations around, you know, partnerships, you know, how do you, how do you collaborate with, with other organizations and schools to create that broad, big impact?
Yes, um, most of our success stories are anchored on our, um, on our partnership ability, you know, because we cannot work in isolation. Like my university, the University of Lagos, has always been a backbone. For most of the things we are doing, because we always partner with them, they provide us with facilities,
also with human resource by way of some lecturers coming to speak to these young people. Uh, coming to empower them by way of teaching some skills. So that has always been Um for community we are we are we are community dwellers. We
are based in the community so You cannot fight crime outside the community because crime is permitted in the community. So we engage community They are all eyes on what we are doing. Um, some issues might arise and you see community members calling on us, especially you have drug and substance abuse issues, young people suffering in addiction.
Uh, you see they are calling us, please, can you do something about this? We sensitization programs. sensitization programs.
In secondary and in secondary schools, uh, which actually, um, take drug abuse. Highlighting the repercussions and the consequences involving abusing, getting involved in drug and substance abuse, especially for young people. So these are some of the ways we have addressed or tapped into. Stakeholders stake our community because without them, definitely there is nothing.
We can't much, especially the law enforcement agencies, we, we
dialogue, we have the policy dialogue, we also have the crime prevention dialogue. Bring people, law enforcement together, them to exchange ideas. Young people tell them they're experiencing, they also tell don't
up with you. And you you are against the law, you have some few dates, uh, in your life. You have a date with the arrest. You have a date with the courts. You also have a date, um, with, with, uh, the jail. Uh, possibly if you're not too lucky, you also have a date in the cemetery, a date in the cemetery, because definitely you might,
you might die as a result of your activity. And that will take you down six feet, uh, to the cemetery. So these are some of the things, uh, our stakeholders, especially the crime prevention dialogues, we have to explain to young people. So whoever that is going into any activity, is, is, is, should be aware, you know, to have full knowledge of what he is going through, the repercussions and the consequences of what he is about to do.
And after such dialogues, you see some of these young people changing 360 degree, not wanting to Not only them that will, that will, that will, uh, kind of feel the negative impact, they also have families and friends that will not want to, um, uh, uh, feel such negative impact because it's highly traumatized.
You could live with them for years, even till your lifetime. So, we work across board. We use the judges. We use, uh, that is, uh, the, the faith based institutions. Um, politically, too, because we have also seen that politicians are not, they are not fair to young people. They also use drugs to infuse them for them to pick up their political thoughts.
So, during election, too, We go out there to tell them, say, hey, please, you must be, you must be sent, you must be sent to take the electoral decisions because they are all your future. So we bring everybody on board, across board, to make sure that our programs impact massively to young people.
I like it. And you already kind of started to highlight some, but I'm wondering if you might share one or two success stories or examples of positive outcomes from your efforts. Yes. Uh, we've had, we've had a whole lot of, um, success stories. As I speak to you today, um, 2011,
the initiative started in, uh, in 2008, but we've got
Affairs in Nigeria to run an N
now.
From thousand 15 when the eight, when the initiative, uh, came on board, you know, is we sustain like for 14, 15 years now, we have reached out to over 18 young people in Nigeria and our program, we also host our program in Kenya. We also host our program in Kenya. So we have crime prevention, drug and substance abuse ambassadors that we have trained.
We have trained. They are championing this cause in their local community. Some of them have actually grown so big that, uh, we are even, we are even, we are even trying to catch up with them
because of the passion, the energy, the drive, the drive. And as I speak to you, Institutions have our, you know, have given us. And because our activities as well, the United also, um, uh, accredited our.
With Embassy partnership with iml. Um, in, in the, you know, we have with Uniteds, so most of the law enforcement agencies since in Nigeria, we have, we have, we have, we have walkthrough.
So I.
We need to you as well, we have, we, we, we, we, we consider sports as sub power for crime prevention. You know, our football academy is running for the, for two years now, you know, producing young people, engaging young people. We have, uh, 156 members, girls and boys in that football academy.
Professionals develop new generation African leaders, ambassador. So young people believe
that project over two years, 20 to five years, is something that really needs to be appreciated within the community.
Parents now see us as both when it comes to, uh, drug and substance abuse among young people. So our intervention has always been welcome. They call us at wills, you know, that we are having this issue, please can you come and talk to the student. So like to see young people. Uh, you this, impactful.
And I tell you, parents call back, community leaders call back, you know, maybe after, uh, two, three years, and you see them calling to tell us, you did this, you did this, you did this. And we have you very much. That only is a motivation,
you know, coming to partner with us, supporting us. You know, we have ambassadors, global ambassadors for our football academy and you see them supporting us, campaigning so that these young people will be fully engaged because If you don't engage them, that is where the prevention starts. Lack of engagement is the core of, um, the proliferation of criminal activities.
Effectively that is, uh, where it starts. So stakeholders did not believe what we're doing and they're reaching out to us. You know, we've had National Youth Summit Onion. We're having it the 13 this year we're National Youth Summit on we've
the ninth edition. You know, in collaboration with so many organizations, the World Federation Against Drugs, the Drug Free American Foundation. We are having, so,
for you to the impact
we've made are all obvious and numerous. I was trying to take notes on all of those, those key elements that show the effectiveness, the impact from the 18, 000 youth that you've reached to the 150 boys and girls in the football academy. And yes, the, the global partnerships that That you have fostered, how does that make you feel as the executive director?
Looking back on that list? Yes. Highly, highly, highly motivated. Highly motivated, inspired to do more. Really inspired to do more because It's taking me from, uh, the U. S., uh, from U. S. to Japan to Japan to virtually all the continents of the world, you know, for Australia. You know, it's, it's, it's something that just started like that. As out of my activities, I was nominated for the International Visitors Leadership Program of the USA department.
So
I'm an alumnus of the IVLP of IVLP WFAD,
you know, to attend international forums.
You know, so.
Is taking this, this impact, you know, young people in the, in the Abuja, in Thei,
ambassador, charismatic Chris, you know, you, you, you get, you, you just, you get humble. So, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm really very, very thankful to God, for, for what he's done in my life, uh, for using me as a tool, you know, in impacting young people uh, uh, uh, uh, find
their purpose It's something that, ah, I, I can't just, I can't just explain it, you know, I was in Kenya, uh, in 2019, uh, then we have the Global School, uh, Intervention Project on Drug and Substance Abuse, which held, which, uh, held a taken international of, uh, of Sweden. You, you, you see, you see going to the slums, the slums of, uh, Uruguay, Going to the slums of, uh, Kibera, going to the slums of, uh, uh, Karubagi, Eruruta.
You come to Nigeria, you,
you go to Ajegunde, you know, giving them hope because they are hopeless. Most of them are hopeless. So when
you you can only be humbled.
Go the football end,
so
international.
You know, of
playing in, So these are some of the things we have. And when you see young people who have also developed their skills of their own. Each time they come on the platform, they talk about African youth initiative of crime prevention, or giving them opportunity to discover themselves. That only is a huge motivation and inspiration.
I must tell you. So, it's something I so much admire. I'm so thankful to God for the gift of this initiative. Community that is, that is just how I. See myself in the global community, making it part of not interacting with, uh, the bigger bites, you know, even considering where I'm coming from that African child, African child, who just went to get a university degree from university degree, you're reaching out to the entire global community.
Africa as your Africa, as your, as your epicenter is something that I, I, I'll forever be grateful to God and my mentors senior
professor,
so unimaginable.
It's also a resource basis because, you know, this is my, this is my academic, so this is my, you know, so those things are really very, very pushy for you to do more and do more. No, there are a whole lot of challenges as well, but you cannot afford to relax. They can't afford to go back because if you go back, you will create more bigger problems because those who are working on you.
Hopeless.
I'm sitting here smiling in awe and feeling, feeling your energy. And, and your fire and your passion come through my speakers. I, I can just feel it and I know, and I hope that our listeners feel just as inspired and motivated as well from, from you charismatic Chris. I caught that nickname and that made me smile as well.
Sounds good, thank you. It is called an umbrella at the Taiwan lips you know, young people are as icebreakers. We stand, you want, you know, we have a culture of respect, these doors, I said kind of a crazy, a whole lot of barriers to entry. So if we are having training, we call you by your adjectival name, like you are, yeah, like you're Dave.
We can say you are diligent. You can say, you can say diligent Dave. You can say that. So So we call you by that name. With that name, there will be no, no barrier in communication. There will be no war. No war created in communication. So, um. During my days in the University of Lagos, when we had this Sleep Africa training, that was my, my, I discovered a charismatic, charismatic Chris.
I also use curious, curious Chris, because I just want to know. I just want to know his, his inner I discovered him. He's, he's really known within the Activity.
You've got me thinking, uh, yes. That makes, makes perfect sense to me. And I, I'm curious, what, what other advice might you have for our listeners who, who want to take action and make a positive difference in their community?
Man, community, human and community development does not require, does not require crowd,
you know, so you challenge for capacity is a particular skill, capability that you can change, make an impact, even. you go,
you travel across the world, and you get to the port of entry, and you are treated as if maybe, um, you are a criminal. All because of some negligible percentage of young people who have chosen to... drugs, you know, thereby condemning, putting the entire population into danger. You know, what is also really disheartening when you get the news that young people from Africa, from Nigeria have been arrested as a result of drug trafficking.
They have been executed either in Singapore, in Indonesia, in China, and different places. It's, it's, it's happening when you see young people who cannot access opportunities in the internet because they are Nigerians
as a result of cyber
criminality, cyber crime. All these things are really, they're things I cannot imagine. You see brilliant young people languishing rehabilitation centers,
you know, loving, caring families in, in, in, in rehabilitation centers as a result of mental health issues, drug and substance abuse. Anytime I read the news that Nigerian has been executed as a result of, as a result of, uh, of, you know, in either Saudi Arabia, either Singapore or Indonesia or Thailand, I, I.
Nobody spoke to that young person. I wish meeting that person. And that is why we are not relative. That is why we are pushing as many, we are reaching out as many as we could to talk to them, telling them the repercussions. You know, these peddlers, these, uh, barons, they are, they could tell you everything.
They will tell you that look when you reach to indonesia you reach you You become the millionaire in dollars But they don't tell you what is involved. They don't tell you the repercussion. They don't tell you the after effect You know That you you you you you you you do a cyber crime you get the millions And shut down other opportunities.
There are scholarships young people can get on the internet But because of the criminality of some few, you cannot access such websites. So it's, it's, it's, it's really crazy. So that is what I'm trying to say that if you are privileged and God, you know, has ordained you, has given you some level of capabilities, use it for humanity, use it for humanity, use it for your community.
Each time you touch one light, you further make your community safe. Each time you prevent a young person from going into drugs and You know, you even make the works of law enforcement agencies, you know, make, you reduce, you, you, you lessen the burden on them because they are overwhelmed in most cases, you know.
So, these are some of the advices. You know, we want to do more, we want to do more, but the challenges are obvious. Lack of funding, lack of support, lack of... This, for you to sustain an academy of 156 young people, girls and boys, underserved. you need to buy them, jersey, you need to, some of them cannot afford jersey, they cannot afford, uh, football boots, that is, that is the level the poverty has, has dropped.
They can't afford this, and that is why
we are calling on... Individuals, well meaning individuals, people with conscience that still have their humanity intact to intervene, support this mission because there is no color in crime. There is no location in crime. Any crime planned in Africa can be executed in Asia or can be executed in America.
That is organized crime.
So if you stop crime here in Nigeria, it's possibly you crime in Jamaica. You're stopping it in, in, in, in, in, uh, in Japan. You're, you're doing same in America. So this are, this is some of the reasons why we're so committed, you know, but to, to achieve this, to sustain this really young people, they cannot, on their body, they cannot, you know, these young people after training them, they need empowerment.
They need empowerment. They need to be empowered so that they will They will not relapse back to their old activities because the streets has a way of giving them false hope. If community, if leaders, mentors fail to give them hope, they go back to the streets. Where those, those, those fake hopes are given to them, which will end up either in early, either in early grief or permanent, uh, bodily harm, disability.
So these are some of the things that we we are hosting by November 28th and 29th, we are hosting the National Youth Summit, the 9th National Youth Summit on Drug and Substance Abuse Prevention. You know, and, uh, we have also gotten, um, um, uh, a commitment from a drug, um, uh, the, the Drug Free, uh, American Foundation.
The President will be speaking, and that's really giving us, uh, support to that effect. I wanted to ask you about the National Youth Summit. And you said this November 28th and 29th, and could you tell me a little bit more about about the summit? Thank you very much.
According to ECOWAS, it's regarded as the largest gathering of young people.
Uh, talk about
of organization. Uh, we, people, leaders across Nigeria and, um, from part of Africa to come and talk about abuse related issues. How it affects us and what we can also do, you know, to either mitigate or prevent, uh, because we champion prevention. With champion of prevention in Nigeria. So, we, we, we bring these young people annually to talk about it.
They appraise, um, kind of calibrate their experiences, you know. Then, they come up with solution on what to do. And that is where, uh, drug and substance abuse prevention ambassadors are trained. We bring experts across the world to come and talk to them, especially the consequences are repercussions and the way out of this, you know.
So this year we are partnering with World WFAD. They are based in Gothenburg, Sweden, which our organization is an activist. So this is what we do.
Issue of in Nigeria and Subha Africa on the, is on the increase national drug that 14% of population of Nigeria area, especially young people use drugs. They do drugs, and we don't have facilities. The facility to accommodate them, we don't have. And there is no recovery, there is no kind of recovery, uh, approach.
It's tight, it's not tight. And this time around, we are talking about a team for this year. It's buildings support system. A preventive approach to drug and substance abuse recovery among youth. You know, because if you get, uh, if you become a victim, the young people, they call it waku. If you go waku as a result of drug and substance abuse, you are abandoned.
You
are abandoned. Technically abandoned in Nigeria because your family will be isolated. There will be that stigma. Huge stigma and that person or that young person that might not have to not have opportunity.
So why?
You
have
and drug abuse, you know, to come and talk to these young people. You know, so that is all about, and it's a gathering of 400 to 500 young people. You can imagine such gathering, you know, it's like a carnival. It's like where young people
come and the way out. You know, you know, Africa is like a dumping ground everywhere. Everywhere you saw the issue of marijuana legalization is taking so much, uh, uh, prominence now in Africa. There are people I consider inhuman who are promoting these, talking about the benefits. But we are peculiar. This is a country, this is a continent of young people.
Capacity to engage young people. You're making available drugs, you're legalizing drugs. You don't have those facilities that we engage them. You know, the employment, unemployment rates here is very, very high. You cannot create, uh, factories. You cannot create employment. What you want to do is sheer wickedness.
And we are standing against it. We are preaching against it. We are talking against it. You know, we want our leaders to have some sense of humanity. To look at this, engage, get the factories working and let young people get there and start working, you know, to support themselves. You have not created jobs, you have not created the factories, you want to legalize, uh, the marijuana.
So what happens? What happens? And the type of marijuana we have here is crazy.
So, these are some of the things this the publicity is everywhere. We know that African Youth Initiative on Crime Prevention is that voice in the wilderness that is shouting, please, let our young people be protected. Let our young people be engaged. Well, let our young people be meaningfully employed.
Don't make Marijuana available for them. So that is what the National Youth Summit on Drugs and Substance Abuse Prevention is all about. And it's something, an event that we, we are passionate about because they have an opportunity Yes, we cry for you. We cry for young people. I'm being honest.
So we cannot lose. I'm not just sleep and lose our eyes to have more victims know that young people live back in streets as a result of mental health issues from addiction and drug and substance abuse. That is why we have suspended the program.
The is immune because they mighty in the society. Their children are locked up in their rooms because of stigma. Some of them even die. we serve the underserved. They don't have funds to take them to the rehabilitation center. So, the first step yes. And how can our listeners stay up to date or, or see photos or get involved with the summit? Yeah, we, we have our, our, our, our Facebook, our social media handles. Plans also streamline, you know, but social media, website, you know, also, uh, so, uh, it's, it's even some of our, our podcast too, you know, we are open for participation. Participation if you wanna participate, get conducted, maybe, I dunno how to put it, but, uh, our emails are contacts are, are reach, you know, as international community. You can, you can, you can, you can take, you can take an adventure, an
adventurous
decision to visit Nigeria for the first time and also have first hand experience of what we are talking about, you can, we have the Victor Osime, Mercies, Ronaldos in our football academy. Is opportunity for these young people to start their careers, uh, because we're limited by this. We're limited by this.
And why we calling? Well,
I.
You know, our academy, we played in the Lagos League last year and we come third, we came third on the Lagos League, Lagos Football League, Lagos Division Football League. It's something that is really amazing. Under two years and you
see these boys displaying skills. You know that can stand within the football ecosystem. They can prove themselves anywhere, but we don't have opportunities. We want football clubs. We want individuals to support us. We don't, there are so many things we don't have. We even want to enter into partnership.
Because this voice, move, whatever that comes in, we can take decision on it. You know, so, but for now, we are hoping we are, we are really hoping, uh, we have a partner that is supporting us. I want to support the next leaders initiative for sustainability. Yes, it's just them, but we need support support support so that these boys will not go back to the streets because when they get back to the streets, we don't know who might be the victim post.
They need to go. They need to do something. We want them to do the right thing, not the wrong thing. That's where we are taking them. Yes, to, to engage and keep them engaged so they feel empowered.
Well, before we, we wrap up our conversation today, I wanted to just open it up and ask, is there anything else you'd like our listeners to know about the African Youth Initiative on Crime Prevention, your work? Or even in drug prevention, just in general, what else would you like our listeners to know?
Well, uh, what's especially is, um, we are open for partnership. We are open for partnership. We want to share experiences. We want to work with you anywhere you are in America, in Australia, California, anywhere in Maryland, in New York. We want to work with you. We are open for partnership. If you need a reliable organization to work with, here.
Another is, we need your
support. We need your support. If we fail to sustain it, it is well due for these young people who are looking at us. Because they've got people anywhere. They've got people. So, we are also using the opportunity to invite you to Nigeria to be part of the summit in November. You're highly welcome. We also put our, the academy doors, the football academy doors for you to come and play with our boys and girls.
You see what is happening in Australia now. You see how the girls are now making the football community world, you know, restoring their confidence in football. They are doing exceptionally well. So, when you come to our academy, you also see the nearest future, those girls in the academy will be the ones playing in the World Cup, or the boys in the ones playing at Cross.
So, you are welcome. Have an Play kick football and mentor, mentor our, our members because we are not just playing football. We also teach them leadership skills, you know, that kind of forms of resilience against crime and substance abuse. Uh, thank you very, very much and listeners, you, you heard Chris, grab your football shoes, pack your suitcases and book your tickets.
I've got an open invitation to, to visit Nigeria and get involved with the marvelous, wonderful and very important work going on with the African youth initiative on crime prevention and curious, Chris, it has been a delight. I am so grateful that our paths have crossed and we, we got to have this wonderful conversation and I look forward to too many more conversations and collaborations with you because prevention is better together.
Thank you for chatting with us today. Thank you very much, Dave. Thank you very much. That concludes this episode. Thanks for tuning in. Be sure to hit the subscribe button and share this episode with a friend before you leave. And we look forward to seeing you on social media because prevention is better together. Together we are stronger.