THE SANUSI SUSPENSION Coined from the Guardian, Friday February 21, 2014

Sanusi Lamido

Some civil society organisations, including the Socio- Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) described the suspension of Lamido Sanusi as

 ‘a distraction and can only contribute to shifting the focus of the government from the real issue, which is finding the missing $20billion oil money’.

They went on to say

‘that no one should be victimized for contributing to the fight against corruption, which is the moral and legal responsibility  of any serious, open and peoples oriented government’.

The chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Alhaji Balarabe Musa said

“ the manner in which the president suspended the CBN Governor is suspicious and looks like an attempt to engage in a cover upon the corruption allegedly uncovered in NNPC and also, not to allow further exposure of corruption by Lamido. I think it is not proper to suspend Lamido without cogent reasons, otherwise people would suspect that he has been suspended because he is exposing corruption”.

I am interested in this because the idea of this blog is to celebrate every Nigerian who dares to fight corruption. It seems however, from the foregoing, that rather than being celebrated, the CBN Governor is being victimized for daring to stand out and to fight against corruption.

He is demanding for accountability and what does he get ‘SUSPENSION and EVERY ALLEGATION’,  be it true or false.

SHOULD THIS BE SO????

CHANGING A LIFE BEGINS WITH A SINGLE STEP. SERIES 1- ONE FOR ONE

Hi Guys!!!

I am going to be doing a series of short stories showing how youths around the world have impacted millions from their small countries and communities with just an idea.

I’m hoping this would encourage someone who has an idea that would bring solution to our country. Enough of shelving ideas, its time to bring it out.

The Tom’s Shoe Story. (One for One- with every pair purchased, Toms gives a pair of new shoes to a child in need.)

          

Blake Mycoskie

This story is about Blake Mycoskie pictured above. I’m sure a lot of you know of Tom shoes or you probably own 1. Well here is the story of how it started.

Blake went to Argentina on vacation. While he was there, he met some people doing volunteer work, specifically what they called a shoe drive. They would go around collecting slightly used shoes from wealthy families in Venezuela and give it to children who needed them out of the city. He was really touched by this but he felt it was not a completely sustainable model because they were completely dependent on donations. So he wanted to do something to help them get more shoes but he did not want to start a charity. He decided to look to business to solve this problem. Toms started as a spontaneous response for him to want to give these children shoes.

As of the time he came up with this idea and had just started actualizing it, he had no idea how much it was needed till he did his first shoe drop. A woman came speaking in Spanish and crying with her three sons putting on brand new Tom shoes. They got an interpreter and the woman said her three sons had been sharing a single pair of shoes in the past year. What that meant was her older son would go to school on Monday and would have to wait till Thursday to go to school, cause his brothers would use the shoes on Tuesday and Wednesday. Can you imagine!!! In the 20^th century!!! 

So he came up with this idea in order to give every young person a voice  in doing things that matter. What he is simply saying is that not every young person can go on a missions trip or give a big donation, so Toms has given them a simple thing to do which is to buy a pair of Tom shoes and they know that a child not so different from them somewhere in the world would get a pair of shoes. So Toms makes it really easy for them to be a part of it and to do something that matters.

As of today, Toms has given over 10 million shoes to children round the world who do not have shoes.

You can also make a difference by buying a pair to help a child get one. ( Naija buy the original oo!!! Cause its the original that gives a child a pair. I just bought mine, * Big Smile* see Picture below. 

So hurry and order yours now.

You can check out video clips on youtube of the programs he does every year “one day without shoes” to create awareness. 

THE MERCADO BY ILSA AIDA

Ibilola Essien

I am celebrating the dame behind the curtain and the brain behind this event, IBILOLA ESSIEN (pictured above) .

The Mercado by Ilsa Aida is a trade fair where vendors buy a table slot to enable them display, showcase and sell their various products. The Mercado by Ilsa Aida was borne out of a need to encourage small and medium scale enterprises. So it is simply an avenue to showcase your fantastic products and/or services. It’s an event that holds one Sunday in every month at “Oriental Hotel” Lekki Lagos.

WHY AM I CELEBRATING ILSA AIDA?

Well, Ilsa Aida gave “The Destiny Trust Foundation” (click here to read about the foundation)  free table slots in her last three exhibitions held in November, December and February. The foundation sold various items to raise funds. The proceeds from the sales were used to provide for the needs of the children sheltered in the home. This is how it worked... people bought items from the charity table, and portions from the sales proceeds went to the foundation to help cater to the kids. The last fair was particularly fun because it was a masked event in the season of love (valentine). We had fun making sales, creating awareness and asking people to come on board to be part of a good thing and show love where it is needed most. See pictures below from all three events.

To the Lady behind the event, IBILOLA ESSIEN, we love you and on behalf of every member of the foundation, we say a big thank you. We appreciate you as you have contributed to MAKING A DIFFERENCE. YOU ARE A STAR!!!

NOW, If your an upcoming vendor and you need to create awareness for your business, you should not miss the next fair. Dates would be communicated to you. However, you could indicate interest by sending a mail to makingdifferences2014@gmail.com and we would respond to every inquiry.

If you are an organiser of fairs, we would encourage you to provide free slots for charities to enable them raise funds for their course.

We would also communicate dates of future exhibitions, so you too can be a part of it by simply dropping by to buy an item or two with the knowledge that some of the proceeds would go back to the needy.

AND FINALLY, To Ibilola, WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!

THE DESTINY TRUST FOUNDATION ( Nurturing the child as a tree of righteousness)

Hi Guys!!!

I'm Introducing and celebrating my first group of world changers and earth shakers.

The Destiny Trust Foundation works through a group of young professionals who share a passion to make a real difference in the lives of the growing number of homeless children who roam around their work environment. Scores of homeless children who have fled home or have become orphaned live in various slums begging, hawking, smoking, drinking, doing illicit drugs and some young girls are used for commercial sex work.

The foundation has a specific social initiative aimed at addressing the needs of abused, neglected and homeless children through an integrated range of assistance which include provision of shelter, food, education, guidance, healthcare, mentoring, counselling and other child support services.

Their passion is to save the destiny of vulnerable children who would have no hope except for this coordinated intervention. By bringing hope into their world, we can make our world a safe place to live in. These children are not asking for too much. They only want a bit of the basic necessities that will tip them in the right direction in life – a safe place to lay their heads at night, food, education, and the opportunity to grow in an atmosphere of love, acceptance and guidance. With continuing exposure to the inhuman living condition and lifestyle on the street, these homeless children are losing their humanity and may well be the next disaster if they are not rescued.

The success of their intervention lies in the story of lives that have been transformed from the destitution of life on the beach front. Through this initiative, the trust is rehabilitating some of these children and has relocated children from the streets. The Trust provides for the continuing care, education, shelter, guidance, counselling, mentoring and other child protective services to the resettled children in various domestic settings.

The Trust has established a residential learning and rehabilitation centre with focus on wholistic human development including character, literacy, creativity and civic responsibility. Street children can go through rehabilitation, integrate into the society, rediscover their role as citizens, explore their creativity and contribute to the task of nation building.

IMPRESSIVE RIGHT??

Well, here is how to get involved.

Are you a youth, an individual or a corporate organisation who shares their passion to make a real difference in the lives of homeless children, you can sign in as a financial partner, caregiver, teacher, child sponsor/mentor, volunteer as a counselling guide to the kids or even a one-time assist.

The Trust accepts gifts of food items, clothing, books and home appliances. If you are interested, please send a mail to makingdifferences2014@gmail.com or send a text to 09093307380 (text messages only).

You could give as low as N1,000 every month to help a child. Check them out on www.destinytrust.org

Pictures after the cut showing the kids and various activities of the Foundation.

Blackberry Display Pictures 

 The Kids

 The Kids

The Kids

 TDT volunteer and the kids

 One of the kids

The Destiny Trust Banner

The kids

TDT Volunteer with the kids

One of the kids

Blackberry DP 

Blackberry DP

Kids

The Kids

TDT volunteers with the kids

TDT volunteers with the kids

The Kids

TDT Volunteer with the kids

The Kids

The Kids

The Kids

TDT Volunteer with the kids

TDT Volunteers with the kids

The Kids

Blackberry DP

TDT Volunteers and Children

TDT Volunteers And Children

TDT Volunteers

TDT Volunteers

TDT house

DISTRIBUTION ARTICLE

Hi Everyone!!!

At Christmas last year, i asked a few friends for old clothes, shoes, bed-sheets etc basically things they were not using anymore or they could do without and things they didn’t want to take into the new year.

I got a few responses and we picked up these old clothes and set the distribution date for Sunday the 2^nd of February, 2014.

I was taken into a location called ijebu- mushin. It was a really bumpy ride to this village. Below are pictures of the distribution. Enjoy!!!!

Here is a big thank you to everyone who made it happen in one way or the other.

1       Emmanuel - He did the pick-up of the old clothes from various addresses.

2       Oluwaranti Osijo- Clothes and shoes

3       Nkechi Agwuibe- clothes and shoes

4       Tokunbo Adeeko- clothes, bed sheets and jewellery

5       Banji Oguntuase- Clothes and ties

6       Chidozie Oringamje- clothes and bed sheets

7       Omolara Awulonu- clothes and shoes

8       Jide Awulonu- clothes and shoes

A big thank you for all your support. Enjoy the pictures showing the smiles you put on faces. 

God bless you richly.

If you would like to be a part of this, we would do another distribution at Easter, dates would be communicated as soon as fixed. However, if you have items to give away, kindly send a mail to makingdifferences2014@gmail.com stating the items you have. We would reply with an address for a drop-off but where you would prefer we pick up the items, we would request for further details.

Also, if you would like to be present at the distribution, send us a mail and all information would be communicated to you.

We are partnering to make a difference *wink*.