By Balarabe Musa Kano, Nigeria
The Kano Network of NGOs (KANET) successfully hosted its Quarterly Lecture Series last week that brought together various stakeholders that discussed critical issues and share insights on children and youth development in Kano State.
The event, held under the theme ‘Investing in our Youth: Strategic Pathway for Sustainable Development in Kano State,’ was a resounding success, featuring distinguished speakers and vibrant discussions aimed at mapping out the way forward for youth empowerment.
The Quarterly Lecture Series fostered a collaborative environment where youth leaders, civil society organizations, and media agencies gathered to share experiences and insights on youth empowerment.
The discussions were focused on practical solutions and strategic pathways to drive sustainable development in Kano State.
Two eminent female personalities, Zainab Nasir Ahmad, the Executive Director of Youth Society for the Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Social Vices (YOSPIS) and Hauwa Muhammad, Speaker of the Children Parliament, Kano State, delivered powerful and insightful presentations that captivated the audience.
Zainab Nasir Ahmad presented on “Investing in Our Youth: Strategic Pathways for Sustainable Development in Kano State.” She highlighted major challenges faced by the youth, including economic constraints, drug abuse, poor education, and health issues.
Ahmad emphasized the urgent need for strategic investments in youth development to secure a prosperous future for Kano State.
She proposed the establishment of a “Youth Focused Trust Fund” to support skills development and empowerment initiatives related to health, education, and socio-economic wellbeing.
Zainab further addressed the challenges faced by youth in Kano State, including drug abuse, educational challenges, unemployment, mental health problems, and inadequate mentorship support.
The YOSPIS Executive Director, called for collaboration between the government and NGOs to come up with sustainable solutions such as Youth Trust Funds, skills and entrepreneurship capacity building and improving rehabilitation centers.
Hauwa Muhammad, a 17-year-old speaker from the Kano Children’s Parliament, delivered an engaging presentation on “Children Parliament: Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities for Kano’s Children and Youth.”
She outlined the key features, objectives, and benefits of a children’s parliament, along with a situation analysis, challenges, and opportunities.
The presentation further highlighted innovative solutions and passionate delivery that resonated deeply with attendees, showing the critical role of children voices in shaping a sustainable future.
The 17-Year-Old Speaker of the Kano Children’s Parliament discussed the establishment of the children’s parliament to promote children’s rights and civic participation.
Some of the ssues affecting children in the state mentioned in her presentation include, children abuse and labor, physical and emotional violence, low access and costly healthcare services to children, poor quality education and more.
She proposed Solutions for enhancing Children’s Welfare in Kano State through; Policy Advocacy, Community Involvement, Collaboration and partnership, Empowerment Programs, Financial Support to families, Social Safety Nets, Free Healthcare Access to poor, improve Neonatal care, Social Protection Programs and Monitoring and Evaluation.
The event was made possible by the Kano Network of NGOs (KANET) Steering Committee committeemen in partnership Aminu Magashi Garba Foundation (AMG),YOSPIS, Mufarka, REWOFO among others.
The participation of various NGOs, CBOs,media etc and their meaningful contribution to the impactful event assures working together to foster a brighter future for Kano through networking for Development is possible.
Conclusively, KANET Quarterly Lecture Series was a significant step towards addressing the challenges faced by the children and youth in Kano State and highlighting the importance of strategic investments in their development.
The chairman KANET Steering Committee Dr Musa Abdullahi Sufi charged the participants by saying “Let us continue to network for development, ensuring that our children and youth have the opportunities and support they need to thrive. By empowering young leaders and fostering collaborative efforts, we can pave the way for a sustainable and prosperous future for our community”.
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