Project summary:
Helpers Social Development Foundation: Providing Climate Change Education + Action, and Increasing Climate Resilience for Underserved Communities in Nigeria. Education and action are needed to create sustained change in local communities. Everyone at Helpers Social Development Foundation Learning Centers, workshops, public schools, and listeners to our weekly radio program, receive education and messages about the need to protect our environment.
Our community-led foundation works with rural, low-income communities in Nigeria. We run projects that directly address climate change such as solar system-powered electricity, solar-powered water, tree, and shrub planting, clean-up campaigns, and digital skill centers to increase climate resilience, especially for young people, women and youth. Individual action is encouraged e.g. buying and planting trees to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mindsets need to change and everyone needs to take action to address climate change that is increasingly impacting lives in Nigeria through drought, decreased agricultural production and reduced food security, health and nutrition.
Challenge
Millions of Nigerians lack knowledge of what they can do to help with climate change and that what they do will make a difference. People need education as well as projects that they can be involved in. Our projects are locally led and include greening Nigeria and cleaning up/preventing pollution. People also need role models of environmental activism, both individuals and organizations. The Helpers Social Development Foundation learning models environmental awareness and action for all people.
Solution
This project will educate Nigerians on environmental issues and provide grassroots-level action. It will give funding to community-led tree/shrub planting programs that reach 8 provinces where AIL works, through Learning Centers, workshops, and events. Other projects are environmental clean-up and pollution reduction education. For example, people will learn not to litter, burn tires, or other high-polluting items.
In addition, our skills training courses focus on empowering young people, women, and youth to increase their economic opportunities and build climate resilience among those most vulnerable to climate impacts.
Road Map and Metrics
• Provide climate education to 500 students every year in our primary school, community center,, and workshops
• Utilize our solar water pump and well to provide water for 400 members of our community.
• 80 Empower young people, women, and youth annually through our digital skills training centers so that they can build climate resilience as agricultural production decreases and climate change threatens traditional livelihoods.
• Partner with The Solar Foundation to develop a solar-powered Public Charging Station for our community to charge their mobile phones and devices
About Us
Helpers Social Development Foundation is a duly registered nonprofit and nonpolitical organization in Nigeria that was formed in 2016 and officially registered with the Nigeria Corporate Affairs Commission on 27th June 2019.
The executive director, Okeke Chidi Chinwendu and his wife established the NGO with a mission to reach millions of less privileged Africans who are facing the same problems he faced while growing up in a small village in Nigeria. Chidi and his wife, Okeke Amarachi Sophia, believe there is an urgent need for well-rounded initiatives to empower Nigerian women and youth. Their goals are to provide education, skills training, and climate resilience to enable vulnerable people to rise above poverty and support healthy families and communities.
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