Special thanks for this opportunity.
Samuel Ezeanolue is a young Nigerian who is passionate about Youth and Community Development and National Peace. I believe that every young person, irrespective of gender, deserves to be given the opportunity to experience growth and exposure and leadership opportunities to make impact in his or her environment. And, every society especially rural areas must be carried along through the journey of development by providing access to life enhancing facilities and opportunities especially as it bothers on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
These have formed my interest and drive. I have carried out quite many number of Community Development Service Projects which include Human Development and Capital Development aspects through which I have engendered peaceful coexistence among people of diverse background.
I am a graduate of Economics from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, with Second Class Honors Upper Division.
I am currently observing a one year mandatory National Youth Service in Nigeria in a very remote village far away from my home. So, I have taken the opportunity to impact on the lives of the people of my host community.
1. First of all, I was posted to a Rural Secondary School and I noticed firsthand how the School shabbily packed their books, files, registers and all documents on the bare floor so, my first project was to provide the School with a Bookshelf and an additional Table and Chair to add to the few they had. Now it looks far much better a sight to behold.
2. Secondly, I noticed how badly majority of the students were in their spoken and written English, so I liaised with the School management and I sponsored a week long program tagged; ENGLISH WEEK, where the students in all classes from JSS1 – SS3 were taken through extensive English Language lessons throughout each day for one week; at the end of which Quiz Competition was organized for the students and the top performers were rewarded with writing and learning materials. I equally supported the School with additional 16 soft copy and online learning materials for the teachers to equip themselves in order to equip the students subsequently in their learning. About 250 students benefited from this program and it recorded maximum success.
3. Again, I organized another program for these students which was on HIV/AIDS SENSITIZATION and AWARENESS. In this program, the students were exposed to an intensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS, unveiling the truth and dissecting the misconceptions surrounding HIV/AIDS. This too recorded maximum success.
4. Again, many of the students have no personal skills upon which they can draw for self sustenance. So, I organized Skills Acquisition Program for the students in which they were trained in the making and production of snacks as well as the commercialization of the skill so taught/learnt. More than 250 students participated in this training which recorded maximum success as this was one of its kind in the area.
5. Again, due to the level of underdevelopment and naivety that beclouds the remote village, the students have no idea of ICT or Computer. So, I explored my knowledge of ICT and trained the students on what ICT is all about with practical trainings alongside.
6. I established SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS CLUB in two Secondary Schools in my Host Community. This will eable the students ion the rural area to be at per with their colleagues across the globe.

7. I established DIGITAL PRESS CLUB for the school to help enhance the reading culture of the students and to expose them to the world of Broadcasting and Journalism. I guide them (till date) on how to broadcast news and I produce the news videos for public consumption. The news videos can be watched here: School One; https://youtu.be/OD69lhMK9eA
School Two; https://youtu.be/frxe5TRY7dk
This will equally give the students the platform to champion their SDGs advocacy.
8. I organized MENSTRUAL HYGIENE SENSITIZATION PROGRAM for girl-students numbering about 1,500 across three Secondary Schools in the rural village. They were educated on Menstrual Hygiene, Sex Education, and overall Personal Hygiene. At the end of the program, the girls were given free packs of Sanitary Pads.
9. Away from the school and to the larger Community, many of the residents of the village are mainly farmers especially the aged. I organized Agricultural Empowerment and Support Program in which the farmers were guided on the new methods of farming for maximum harvest. At the end of the program, the farmers were supported with thousands of high yield Cassava Stems and Maize Seeds. About 200 farmers from more than 500 households benefited in this program. So, by helping these farmers, there is a multiplier effect in their respective homes and the economy of the area.
10. In Nigeria for many years now, there have been a constant attack by Cattle Herders on rural farmers which has been a big challenge to the security situation in the country as these Cattle Herdsmen encroach people farms with their Cattls and destroy the farms while letting their Cattle feed on the plants. In my Host Community, this is equally the case so, to calm down the tension resulting from this unfortunate experience by farmers, I reached out to 10 farmers whose farms were encroached and destroyed and I supported them with Cash Donation to add to what they have to start up again.
11. Even though I am not a Muslim by religion, during Sallah, I visited four homes in which I distributed buckets of rice and sachets of detergents to Octogenarians. This is to showcase the spirit of kindness associated with season.
12. I embarked on the repairs and renovation of a rural borehole for the entire village as they have been without portable water for more than 10 years before my arrival into the area. The Borehole has been damaged and abandoned for 10 years, leaving the people with no choice than to depend on well water for their source of water which is not potable nor hygienic and the wells dry up during dry season, leaving the people with no choice than to travel long distance for hours to access water. I repaired this damaged borehole and it is currently working and serving the Community People in the rural village.
13. I also renovated and upgraded a local Basketball Court in the village to Universal Standard, which will serve as a sport and social Centre for the teeming population of young people in the village.
14. I equally fixed a big Directional Signpost for a Primary Health Care Centre in the oillage to aid people to easily locate the Health Facility.
In all, I am glad to have taken the initial step(s) and I have recorded visible success upon which I can say that in many different aspects, I have set in motion the drive to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals in this remote village. And, I am willing and looking out for opportunities to do more as I believe you would grant me the opportunity and platform to do more even beyond this locality.