Former Caterham School Pupil Marches Through London After Stint in Nigeria
Jay Ham in Nigeria
A former Caterham School student marched in the Lord Mayor's Show in London, in recognition of his voluntary work with young people in Nigeria.
Jay Ham, of Church Way, Hurst Green, volunteered with the UK government-funded International Citizen Service (ICS) programme from July to September last year.
In Nigeria, the 22-year-old, who is studying for a masters degree in sustainability at Southampton University, worked on projects ranging from a text message data collection initiative, to a music festival attended by 1,500 people.
He was invited to take part in the procession on November 12, on behalf of international development charity VSO, which leads the ICS programme.
"Marching in the Lord Mayor's Show was great fun, and a fantastic way to raise awareness of the challenges faced by so many children around the world," Mr Ham said.
For his stay in the west African country, Mr Ham was based in Ikorodu, in Lagos State.
"In many areas it's quite advanced, though of course there's poverty too. The people were fantastic, very bold in their outlook on life and very welcoming – I was always made to feel like part of the family."
Working alongside young Nigerian volunteers, Mr Ham ran youth clubs and workshops for children living in poverty, encouraging them to understand how to tackle the issues they face.
"I witnessed many barriers to education," he said. "Getting a good education is a direct route out of poverty, which is why it's so important that we change this."
Projects included organizing forums where young people could find solutions to local problems and a children's rights conference attended by 450 delegates, and working on a text message questionnaire initiative used to target development resources.
Among his most daunting tasks was organizing an anti-drugs music festival.
"Four days before the event we had nothing, but we got it all done for free – everything from free noodles to getting celebrities to attend," said Mr Ham.
In addition to his studies, Mr Ham is involved in global organisation Enactus, a student-led group that seeks to provide sustainable solutions through entrepreneurship.
Initiatives he is working on in include a major sanitation project and a non-electric refrigerator.
Looking to the future, Mr Ham hopes to take his work to another level.
"My dream is to work for the UN and manage large-scale projects in sustainable development," he said.
Felicity Morgan, director of ICS at VSO, said: "We were very proud to see our volunteers marching in the Lord Mayor's Show.
"Our ICS volunteers are living proof that young people can make a hugely positive impact on communities in some of the poorest parts of the world."
Maiduguri – The
military on Monday in Maiduguri unveiled the photographs of another 55
Boko Haram terrorists it had declared wanted, bringing the number of
wanted terrorists so far to 257.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/military-unveils-photographs-of-another-55-wanted-boko-haram-terrorists/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/military-unveils-photographs-of-another-55-wanted-boko-haram-terrorists/
Maiduguri – The
military on Monday in Maiduguri unveiled the photographs of another 55
Boko Haram terrorists it had declared wanted, bringing the number of
wanted terrorists so far to 257.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/military-unveils-photographs-of-another-55-wanted-boko-haram-terrorists/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/military-unveils-photographs-of-another-55-wanted-boko-haram-terrorists/
The military on Monday
in Maiduguri unveiled the photographs of another 55 Boko Haram
terrorists it had declared wanted, bringing the number of wanted
terrorists so far to 257.
It had declared 202 insurgents wanted in two batches in 2015.
Unveiling the photographs at the headquarters of the Theatre Command,
the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, called on Nigerians
to join in search for the terrorists.
Olonisakin said that counter insurgency was a field operation which
required adequate awareness by the stakeholders.
“With this launch of additional photographs of wanted Boko Haram
terrorists, it is hoped that all members of the public and other peace
loving citizen will provide useful information that will aid in riding
the society of these terrorists and criminal elements,’’ he said.
Earlier in a remark, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai,
noted that many of the 202 terrorists earlier declared wanted had either
been killed or arrested during operations.
“We have earlier in the course of our campaigns against the insurgents
from late 2015 published two editions, comprising 202 individuals that
have been identified, key members of the Boko Haram insurgents.
“In the course our counter insurgency operations, quite a significant
number of these wanted terrorists have either been killed or arrested.
“Those arrested have been providing useful information that has assisted
the Nigerian army undertake successful operations,’’ he said.
Buratai also called on Nigerians and the media with useful information
about the suspects to provide it, saying that such information would be
treated with “utmost confidentiality’’.
“No item of information is too little or should be ignored,’’ he said.
He said that the Nigerian Army had achieved significant progress in the
fight against the terrorists by degrading their combat power as well as
decimating their ranks.
The army chief restated that 60 per cent of the remnants of the
terrorists were not Nigerians and appealed to the citizens to contribute
to the efforts to flush them out of the country.
“It is very clear that the Boko Haram terrorists have been defeated.
“To continue to have any doubt in this regard or to continue to re-echo
or insinuate that these terrorists have not been defeated is only a way
of encouraging these terrorists,’’ Buratai said.
He assured the people of Kaito, Damasak, Gashiga and indeed Mallam
Fatori in northern Borno that the roads leading to their communities
would soon be re-opened to enable them to return before the end of 2016.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/military-unveils-photographs-of-another-55-wanted-boko-haram-terrorists/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/military-unveils-photographs-of-another-55-wanted-boko-haram-terrorists/
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