What we do
We work in diverse sectors including Youth Economic Empowerment, Youth Conflict Resolution & Peace Building, Adolescent & Youth Human Rights, Gender Equality & Inclusion, Advocacy & Influencing on girls’ issues & rights, Humanitarian/Development, Emergency Relief, Health, Livelihood, Child Protection & Safeguarding, Water Sanitation & Hygiene, Informal & Adult Education. Some members have partnered with the UN and large international NGOs. Several NGOs pursue legal cases and court proceedings dealing with injustice associated with violence and religious intolerance. Our coalition of 30 Nigerian CSOs represent the four VOICE rights-holders groups across the country.
Why we’ve come together
Our collective centuries of experience has taught us about the exponential and dynamic power of networked civil society. Individually, each organization has a hard time being heard, which undermines potential for sustainable difference. Together, we already are being heard in new arenas, and we are collectively generating new power. Our network represents, in sum, immeasurable collective wisdom, experience, and skills on the ground working with the most vulnerable. The group represents the beautiful diversity of Nigeria, encompassing myriad religions, ethnicities, languages, regions, living conditions, ages, abilities, histories and subcultures.
In order for our shared vision to reach all communities, we of the grassroots must connect and collaborate to form a wide web of safety and promise. Successful everyday well-being is only possible in an environment that supports successful harvests and businesses, quality public services (including health, education, security, utilities and other infrastructure) all, dynamically managed by representative and responsive governance–from local to national.
How we work together and with youth
Even in our short time as a formal network, we are coalescing powerfully. We will employ our evidence-based Collective Impact 3.0 (CI3.0) model of movement building in our work with youth to build the very “new power” that is driving change all around the world, as based on two pillars: mass participation and peer coordination. CI3.0 interweaves five simple components to create measurable systems change: shared vision; authentic engagement; continuous learning and adaptation; mutually reinforcing, high leverage actions; as managed within the “container for change.” This simple but powerful model enables true co-creation and has been shown to make a difference, and works well with youth, who deserve no less in today’s world.