Devatop equips teenagers under her Student Enhancement Programme (STEP)

The world is facing more challenges today than ever before, and young people need to be equipped to face these realities. The world requires people with creative mind, values, passion, vision, ideas, community spirit, and right attitude to stand in the gap. Academic grades and educations are not enough preparation for students to meet the needs of 21^st century.

Hence, Devatop International Services, a social enterprise that provides educational services and products to community schools, created Students Enhancement Programme (STEP) to bridge these gaps.

Student Enhancement Programme (STEP) is an innovative coaching programme designed to equip young people in secondary and tertiary schools with values, skills, and mentality which will make them become more effective, value-driven and serve as agents of national development. It empowers students to meet the demands of the global world and face challenges of the 21^st century. It guides participants to developing their vision, talents, gifts and maximize their creative potentials.

Partners and philanthropists offered more than N20, 000 scholarships each to 15 secondary students from to participate in the three weeks (weekend) programme.

During the three weekend training, participates learnt: How to discover their vision,  discover their talents,  develop their creativity, character development, things to do before leaving secondary school, things to do before entering university, time management, personal security management, national development.

The facilitators include Mr. Joseph Osuigwe, initiator of STEP; Agha A. Agba, a social worker and project director of Project Pink Blue; Abdulahi Idris; Director, BookmySchool; and Jane Imafidor, Programme Director of Hrelief foundation.

Sadiya Ahmed, a participant of STEP said, “during the training, I have discovered my talents, vision, and started managing my time effectively. I have been equipped on how to do a community service”.

Another participant, Ni’matulla Suleiman said she has learnt how to prioritize set goals, actualize her goals, and how to maximize her creativity.

All the participants did community service before they concluded their course. They were also mandated to do a group project’, like students’ empowerment seminar in school which will give each of the chances of winning an award and cash prize. During the seminar, all the participants will be celebrated and given certificates of merit. 

The initiator, Joseph Osuigwe stated that STEP is one of the services of Devatop International Services to supporting students and schools. He assured the participants of post-training mentorship and support to enable them harness their full potentials. According to him, Devatop International Services will continue to render quality consultancy services to schools across Nigeria, and appealed to companies and organizations to provide scholarships for young people to be coached through Students Enhancement Programme (STEP). 

Devatop International Services is one of the brands of Devatop Centre for Africa Development

Devatop Centre for Africa Development and BookmySchool celebrate Children's' Day

Here in Nigeria, May 27 of every year is dedicated  to celebrate children. The choice of this year’s theme “Protecting the Right of the Child in the face of violence and insecurity; End child marriage could not have come at a better time; we are currently faced with so many challenges as a nation. 

“The Children’s Day offers the opportunity to highlight the significant pledges made by the Federal Government, NGOs, religious groups and the media to join hands to end violence against children.

“It calls for renewed efforts by all stakeholders to turn the commitments they made into action for children,” it said. A National Violence against Children Survey conducted in 2014 revealed that there was prevalence of sexual, physical and emotional violence suffered by children in the country.

Devatop Centre for Africa Development in partnership with BookmySchool reached out to 300 students at Federal Government College Kwali Council Area, Federal Capital Territory. They were enlightened on career choice and how to combat violence against children. Apart from 400 books distributed to the students, over 1000 books and teaching materials were donated to the school to equip their library.

 40% percent of the beneficiaries were children affected by Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east of Nigeria.

Date: 20th May, 2016
Location: Kwali Council Area, Federal Capital Territory