By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
A non-governmental organisation, Equal Access International (EQI), has graduated 45 fellows in Nigeria on the platform of its Peace Promotion Fellowship programme.
Speaking during the wrap-up programme for the fellowship on Friday in Jos, Mr Shamaki Peter, the Deputy Country Director of the organisation, said that the participants were drawn from Kaduna State, Kano State, Benue and Plateau.
Peter, who said his organisation had invested more than N100 million in the project, added that the fellows were engaged for one year.
“In 2021, we sent out a call for application for youths from Plateau, Benue, Kaduna State and Kano State for a fellowship programme.
“We received 850 applications and we shortlisted 90; after one week camp in Abuja, Kaduna State and Plateau, we picked 45 as fellows and gave them intensive training on early warning and response system, effective communication, advocacy, social change and other skills.
“At the end of the training, they went back to their various communities and collaborated with other stakeholders in influencing decision making.
“All of them carried out activities that supported local security outfits, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), increased women participation in community policing and creating awareness on drug abuse, among others,” he said.
Peter added that the fellows have become mentors in their communities, adding that EQI is pleased with the outcome of the project.
He explained that the fellowship had provided veritable platforms for some of be participants, noting that some of them got better jobs while others were able to mobilise resources to further their education
“We placed these fellows on monthly stipends of N20,000 and this has enabled us to improve their economic base on one hand and were able to acquire skills and knowledge that has made them to be mentors on the other hand.
“Beyond that, we have been able to establish a structure on early warning and early response in various communities and women participation on security issues and decision making.
“So, as an organisation, we are satisfied with our investment in this project because it has yielded the desired result,” he said.
On her part, Maryam Mohammed, the Programme Manager/Executive Producer of the organisation’s radio, said the wrap-up meeting was to evaluate the performance of the fellows and stimulate them to be good ambassadors in their various communities.
She added that the fellowship provided opportunity for the participants who are largely young people to contribute their quota toward the growth and development to promote peaceful coexistence in their communities
“Basically, as this fellowship comes to an end, we are here to evaluate, thank the participants and encourage them to do more for the society even without our monthly stipends and monitoring,” she said.
