By Chinedum Treasure
Catch Them Young Community Initiative (CATYCOI) has restated commitment to intensifying efforts to build society where empowered youths play leading roles in promoting sustainable democracy, community development, and sustainable livelihoods.
Executive Director, Nonso Orakwe, stated this in Awka at a two-day regional Organisational System Strengthening Workshop for representatives of Civil Society Organizations in the South-East Zone, supported by the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund.
He said true development work is driven by commitment, not by expectations of external funding, urging participants to develop genuine passion for social impact rather than focusing solely on potential grants from international organisations.
“We work closely with young people to inspire democratic participation and community development through research, advocacy, policy engagement and strategic management,” he said.
The Executive Director encouraged participants to remain focused and dedicated to serving the public interest despite challenges that often accompany civic and community-based interventions.
He noted that CATYCOI has been actively supporting young people to take leadership roles in local governance within their communities.
“When youths take ownership of governance at the local level, political office holders will be compelled to perform better, operate within the law, and deliver real benefits to the people,” he added.
The workshop targets beneficiaries of grants from the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund, with the goal of equipping them to implement the programme’s objectives in their respective states.
One of the programme consultants, Mr. James Laman of Abuja, advised participants to ensure their organisational goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely (SMART) in order to strengthen sustainability and enhance societal impact.
Laman, a specialist in Organisational Capacity Assessment and Evaluation, said, “the training brings together representatives from nine organisations that received funding approval to implement governance-related projects in areas such as health, gender, civic engagement, and disability inclusion, among others.”
He emphasized that the overarching aim of the programme is to empower young people to actively participate in governance processes within their communities.
He urged beneficiaries to uphold integrity, continually build their capacity, and leverage knowledge gained from the training to achieve meaningful and lasting results.
