RESPECT is growing everyday, everywhere!
2004 RESPECT Nigeria Report
Dear Friends of RESPECT Nigeria/International,
A hearty thank you to those people who participated and contributed to RESPECT Nigeria/International activity year 2004! Especially to Marc Schaeffer and David Gonzalez. You are creating change. In 2004, there was a lot of activity initiated, and the outcome of the initiation was a success!
Election And Handing Over
December 2003
An election was held and the position of country coordinator was handed over from OluMuyiwa Oke to Francis Abayomi with seven volunteers.
Executive/General Meeting And 2004 Program Of Events
RESPECT Nigeria/International, under the new country coordinator, started in January 2004 with the first general meeting and planned activities for programs running in the year 2004.
The meeting started with a welcome speech from Francis Abayomi, for details:
Face-To-Face Training Conference On Youth Transforming Conflict
In March, Francis Abayomi represented RESPECT Nigeria/International at the UNOY Youth Transforming Training Conflict conference in Sierra Leone. Francis presented activities of RESPECT Nigeria/ International to over 60 young leaders from different countries across the globe most, especially from Africa. Francis Abayomi also used the opportunity to meet with RESPECT Mano River Union, which is comprised of RESPECT Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The RESPECT Nigeria/International country coordinator also had motivational talks with members from RESPECT iEARN Sierra Leone, including Mr. Bangura, Tom King, Sylvester Young and Alex Columbus.
Meeting With UNHCR
APRIL – The country coordinator met with the country representative Eusebe Housokou of UNHCR in Nigeria. The meeting brought about the introduction and programs of RESPECT Nigeria/International.
The country representative gave his whole support to RESPECT International/Nigeria activities at the Oru refugee camp. He also introduced his son Mr. Franck Housokou, who worked as a volunteer with RESPECT International/Nigeria.
Formal Introduction And Visitation At The Oru Refugee Camp Oru, Ogun State
In May, RESPECT Nigeria/International made a formal introduction, visitation and presentation of programs and activities at the Oru Refugee camp in Oru, Ogun State. During the meeting with the camp commandant and his officials, RESPECT Nigeria/ International was formally introduced to every official staff on the camp.
RESPECT Nigeria/ International also met with officials of other stakeholders at the camp which include the Red Cross, camp hospital, Justice Peace and development commission (JPDC - Catholic Church NGO) and other refugee major and minority groups.
Hosting Of Two Post-Graduate Students From U.K.
June – RESPECT Nigeria/International played the role of hosting two research students visiting the Oru refugee camp in Nigeria. The research students are Robyn Brown and Vivien.
RESPECT Nigeria/International, under the leadership of Francis Abayomi, took the research students to major stakeholders at the camp, which included UNHCR, JPDC, Red Cross and the Camp Oru Refugee camp in Ogun State.
Visitation And Formal Introduction Of Respect Nigeria/International To African Refugee Foundation (AREF)
July – Francis Abayomi, along with members of RESPECT Nigeria/International made a formal trip to visit and introduction to major stakeholder AREF, which deals with refugee issues in Nigeria. AREF is under the leadership of Ambassador Segun Olusola, who is also the chairman of the Nigeria Refugee Commission in Nigeria.
Amb. Segun Olusola is in his seventies assured RESPECT Nigeria/International his ultimate and continuous support of her programs and has open doors for any program partnership and assistance.
RESPECT Nigeria/International Moved Office To Abeokuta
RESPECT Nigeria/International in August moved his official office and physical contact to Abeokuta from Ibadan. The physical contact address is B2/5 Federal Housing Estate, Olomore Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
The mailing Address of RESPECT Nigeria/International still remains valid.
Visitation And Formal Introduction Of RESPECT Nigeria To Justice Peace And Development Commission (JPDC)
RESPECT Nigeria/International made a formal visit and presentation of programs to the commission in September. JDPC is also a major stakeholder at the refugee camp Oru. They coordinate some UNHCR activities and vocational training programs which include tailoring, catering, secretariat studies and hair dressing.
Francis Abayomi met with the Caritas Desk director Mrs Ossai and Mrs. Aladesua (JDPC representative on Camp).
Mrs Aladesua has also been a volunteer with RESPECT Nigeria/International and assists in coordinating RESPECT Nigeria/International's pen pal program and English Language Purpose Course at the camp.
Participation Of Respect Nigeria/International In The First Pen Pal Program
RESPECT Nigeria/International organized the first set of 20 pen pals to the pen pal program in Canada.
During this period we also had an interview with the secretary general of the majority group on the camp in person of Paul Rancey by Francis Abayomi. The interview appeared in the e-Zine
Received The First Set Of Replies Of Pen-pal Letters
Four students of RESPECT Nigeria/International in December 2004 received replies from Canada. Francis Abayomi delivered their letters to the students in the presence of the camp commandant, Mrs. Odetola (Camp welfare officer and assistant to the camp commandant), Mrs Ossai and Mrs Aladesua of JDPC.
Challenges
Dear Friends of RESPECT Nigeria/International,
2005 for RESPECT Nigeria/International looks more promising because we have met with all the major stakeholders in and outside of the Oru Refugee camp. So we have been able to create awareness of the existence of RESPECT Nigeria/International in Nigeria.
It is with pleasure to let you know that all these organizations have showed tremendous support or potential support for RESPECT Nigeria/International now and in the future activities or events. Secondly, we have started receiving pen pal replies for our students and students are still registering for the pen pals. Presently, we have registered five students for the English Language course at the RESPECT University Canada and still more are coming in different courses, which include Mathematics, Statistics, Business Administration and Song Writing, to mention a few. We are also working towards establishing a library to support RESPECT University courses in Nigeria which we proposed over 5000 books.
Presently we have over 35 volunteers offline and online assisting and working for RESPECT Nigeria/International. To mention the very few, they are Gildo from Mexico, Madhuri and Lisa from United States of America.
The only aspect RESPECT Nigeria/International is lacking is financial aid. 98.9% of the funds is coming from Francis Abayomi, the country coordinator of RESPECT Nigeria/International.
However, we are urging all volunteers to assist RESPECT Nigeria/International in Grant seeking/research and we would also propose that no amount of money is too small or big for donations.
Payment can be made through the country coordinator.
Francis Abayomi
RESPECT Nigeria
nigeria@respectrefugees.org
