SWA Delegation Visit to
the Nasarawa State of Nigeria

 

Please join the Student World Assembly and SWA-Nigeria as we celebrate the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Governor of Nasarawa State of Nigeria, Dr. Abdullahi Adamu, and the Student World Assembly organization that outlines the commitment of the Nasarawa State Government and the SWA to work collaboratively to provide more organizational support and resources to the Nigerian members of the SWA.

This agreement was formed in recognition of the very active role SWA-Nigeria has played as members of our organization and the need for a more pronounced institutional presence within Nigeria to assist in the future development and growth of the SWA in the region.

Today, the Student World Assembly has established itself as an active, student-led global dialogue NGO dedicated to the pursuit of global democracy and promotion of human rights. This would not have been possible without adequate support from local outside sources, such as the Nasarawa State Government and the African Youth Development Alliance (AYDA) in Nigeria, who share SWA’s vision and encourage its expansion in the region. In the spirit of supporting the growth and success of SWA-Nigeria, Dr. Abdullahi Adamu will provide valuable resources for SWA-Nigeria to maintain and support its growing needs. These resources will enable Nigerian SWA students to communicate more effectively with the rest of the SWA membership and other student organizations, as well as improve their technology skills thus allowing for an enhanced global understanding.

It will also provide SWA-Nigeria with ideas regarding the formulation of future plans and initiatives that will enable the SWA to play a more tangible role in youth-related affairs in Nigeria.

As part of this new collaboration, the SWA plans to expand its support in Nigeria through the formation of a Regional Planning Group (RPG). This RPG will develop a set of programs and initiatives tailored to the needs of Nigerian students and will implement them through the creation of SWA Regional Centers. These Centers will provide educational resources for members to utilize in exploring issues such as HIV/AIDS, sustainable and economic development, entrepreneurship, and human rights.

It is a tenet of the SWA that democratic systems and economic development reinforce each other, and so, through the newly-created student support systems in Nigeria, members will have an opportunity to educate themselves on the methods of free-enterprise and economic development.

In addition, in order to continue the fight against HIV/AIDS, the SWA Centers will hold workshops and events aimed at making relevant information available to the larger student population by providing preventative materials and educational leaflets for distribution. Along with these current objectives, members of the SWA Managing Team will be on hand to assist the Centers and local volunteer staff with any related educational resources that might be needed for future projects.

As our ongoing mission is to promote democracy and dialogue on important global issues, it is the goal of SWA to replicate this model of SWA Regional Centers in Ghana and Kenya, and eventually throughout the world.

In closing, we would like to extend our deepest thanks to everyone who has made this agreement possible, especially the African Youth Development Alliance (AYDA) and Nasarawa State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Adamu, for providing invaluable resources to our Nigerian members. We would also like to commend our Nigerian representative Mr. Charles Osareimen and other Nigerian SWA members on their commitment to promote leadership and advancement for the youth of their community, and we look forward to their continuing success in the future.

SWA-Nigeria & the African Youth Development Alliance

 

The Student World Assembly would like to extend its warmest thanks to the African Youth Development Alliance (AYDA) for facilitating the visit to Nigeria by two representatives from Student World Assembly’s Managing Team, SWA founder, Mr. Paul Raynault, and International Convention and Event Coordinator, Mr. Alireza Hajihosseini. The African Youth Development Alliance is dedicated to assisting youth through networking and capacity-building in order to enhance the effectiveness of youth organizations in their efforts toward community service and program development.

The two SWA representatives found the trip to be especially gratifying as they were able to meet not only with local officials who responded favorably to their visit, but also because they had the opportunity to meet with other regional student groups that the SWA had hoped to work with. It was a very inspiring visit as it became visible to those involved that this historic journey was a genuine opportunity to make a real connection with others on a global level.

This was a chance for the SWA Managing Team representatives to interact not only with students, but also with Nigerian people from all walks of life /all facets of life, which enabled them to understand the country from the bottom up. It was very exciting for them to become emerged in the Nigerian culture, through experiencing such things as learning the etiquette of dining and viewing some of the local wildlife. SWA staff were given the opportunity to connect with a culture that makes up the livelihood of so many of our SWA members in one of the most active regions of SWA around the world. The trip was the perfect balance of organizational expansion and an exchange of cultures.

The Student World Assembly would once again like to thank the African Youth Development Alliance for assisting SWA with their trip to Nigeria. AYDA is a valuable ally in our effort to bring together students from all over the world in order to better serve the world community.