CREATING THE FIRST 100 ANTI-BULLYING AMBASSADORS EVENT TO “KICK OUT BULLYING IN OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES” IN ABUJA, NIGERIA.
“I AM THE FUTURE OF NIGERIA YOUTH INITIATIVE” is a non-profit organization founded by two sisters, Renee and Zara Okocha, known as the Okocha sisters. They are young authors and illustrators of over 55 NERDC-approved school children’s books for first readers. Its mission is to kick out illiteracy and bullying in Nigeria by helping to create a safer learning environment for every student.
We have been endorsed by the Nigeria Police Force, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Federal Ministry of Education and Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to raise awareness of the ills and negative consequences of “bullying” amongst school children.
The ‘Kick Out Bullying in our Schools’ ambassadorship program is a great example of the power of young people’s voices and how they can initiate an anti-bullying program to make a difference in an individual, school, and the community by providing anti-bullying resources and training in all schools and communities in Nigeria.
The program is developed to further the influence of children by showing respect as part of their culture and ensuring that kindness and quality education continues to grow and develop in all schools and communities. Their values focus on integrity, responsibility, respect, and doing their best.
The 100 Anti-Bullying Ambassadors Training Event was held recently by the Okocha sisters, Renee and Zara, at the Exhibition Pavilion, Abuja, to create awareness amongst students on different forms of bullying and how bullying can be detected.
The minister of Education (state), Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, was at the event to support the training of 100 young anti-bullying ambassadors from various schools, IDP camps, and communities in Abuja.
The long-term benefit is empowerment through increased awareness of bullying in schools and increased participation of our children and students in curbing bullying.
The minister addressed the children and thanked them for the opportunity to meet with them all. The Honorable minister further said, “The basics of good learning is to make sure that children find their learning environment conducive. When one of you hurts one another when anybody tries to dissuade you or deter you from attending class or stops you from being the best that you can be. We do not think that is very nice. So we put our minds, we put our strength behind all efforts to make sure that the learning environment is conducive.
The Okocha sisters have found one of the problems that discourage students from being their best. Bullying. Yes, bullying might not be something you see everyday, but in the places where they occur, it can have a long-lasting effect on other children. It is easy to identify when an adult is bullying a child but it is not very easy to identify when a little kid, another child, is bullying another child because there may not be an adult present. So it is your responsibility to all help and kick out bullying in your schools and communities”.
