Ekundare Gbenga Micheal, Wife to Commence Drug-Free Initiative For Stronger Communities.
Mr Ekundare Gbenga Micheal and his wife, Mrs Ekundare Grace Adesola, are set to commence a community-based drug prevention initiative aimed at helping young people make healthier choices and contributing to safer and stronger communities.
The initiative, which will be carried out through the newly established Grace & Myke Global Impact Foundation, is built around the message, “Say YES to Life, NO to Drugs.”
The Foundation is preparing to begin its activities with a focus on children, teenagers and young adults, while also involving parents, schools, community leaders and other stakeholders in its prevention efforts.
For the Ekundares, the concern goes beyond the growing presence of drugs and substance abuse in society. They believe young people also need the right support, guidance and opportunities to make better choices and build a future for themselves.
The planned initiative will therefore combine drug prevention awareness with mentorship, education, leadership development, youth engagement and community outreach.
Giving Young People Something to Choose
The Foundation’s approach is based on a simple idea: telling young people to stay away from drugs is important, but it is not enough.
Young people also need something positive to pursue. They need access to education.
They need people who can guide them. They need opportunities to develop their abilities.
They need skills that can help them earn a living and a sense of purpose that can keep them moving in the right direction.
This thinking is reflected in the Foundation’s campaign message, which encourages young people to say yes to life, education, purpose, leadership and healthy choices, while saying no to drugs.
The Foundation plans to take these messages into schools and communities through awareness programmes, seminars, mentorship activities, youth engagement and other forms of outreach.
A Wider Vision for Youth
Although drug prevention is expected to be a major focus of the Foundation’s early work, the organisation’s plans extend beyond the campaign.
Grace & Myke Global Impact Foundation was established with a broader interest in youth empowerment, leadership development, education, entrepreneurship, economic empowerment, humanitarian support and community development.
The Foundation believes these issues are closely connected.
A young person facing peer pressure, unemployment, lack of direction or limited opportunities may be more vulnerable to negative influences.
Providing education, mentorship, skills and opportunities can therefore play an important role in helping young people take a different path.
The organisation intends to support this through entrepreneurship training, educational support, leadership programmes, life-skills development and other initiatives as its programmes develop.
Families Have a Role to Play
The Ekundares also recognise that the responsibility of protecting young people does not rest on young people alone.
Parents, teachers, community leaders and other adults have an important role in helping children and young people understand the choices they face.
The Foundation therefore intends to work with families and educators in its awareness efforts, providing them with information and guidance that can assist them in supporting young people and addressing concerns related to substance abuse.
The organisation also intends to work with schools, government agencies, healthcare and prevention professionals, nonprofit organisations, businesses, faith-based organisations, community groups and volunteers.
A New Foundation, A Long-Term Vision
Grace & Myke Global Impact Foundation is at the beginning of its journey, with its programmes and community activities now being prepared for commencement.
Rather than presenting itself as an organisation that has already solved the problems it seeks to address, the Foundation is starting with a commitment to build steadily, work with communities and develop programmes that can make a practical difference.
For Mr Ekundare and Mrs Ekundare, establishing the Foundation is a way of turning their concern for young people and communities into organised action.
Their vision is to see young people grow into responsible, confident and purposeful adults who can make sound decisions, develop their talents and contribute positively to their families and communities.
The long-term ambition is to build partnerships that can take the Foundation’s work beyond its immediate communities and, eventually, to other parts of Nigeria and beyond.
But the first step is closer to home: helping young people understand that their lives have value and that they have a future worth protecting.
The Message
At the centre of the Foundation’s first major initiative is a message the founders hope will reach young people, families, schools and communities:
Say YES to Life.
Say YES to Education.
Say YES to Purpose.
Say YES to Leadership.
Say YES to Opportunity.
Say NO to Drugs.
For the Ekundares, the initiative is the beginning of a wider commitment to helping young people make positive choices and giving communities the support they need to become healthier and stronger.
“Your Future Is Worth More Than Drugs.”
