The Amana Initiative is a project aimed at improving civil society engagement between youths and security forces in North Eastern Nigeria. The Abuja Global Shapers recognize the need for the youth in North Eastern Nigeria with 60% of the population below 27 years old as vital in curbing insurgency in the region.
The Abuja Global Shapers for Leadership and Development (Abuja Global Shapers) with funding and partnership with the U.S Embassy in Nigeria, managed a $35, 000 grant of 9 projects in the Northern region of Nigeria to build confidence and trust between security forces, the youths and civil society. The project commenced with the ‘Abuja Dialogue Series’, an event of the Abuja global Shapers, which attracted the attendance of youth activists, security officials and the FCT Commissioner of the Nigerian Police Force. The outcome of the dialogue informed participants and the general public on the outcome of the Amana Initiative.
The 9 grantees comprised of 7 NGOs based in the north and 2 Mandela Washington Fellows (Young African Leaders). The Abuja Global Shapers made two tranches of payments to each of the grantees. For the total grant allocations, 6 grantees were allocated the sum of N560, 000 each with 3 grantees receiving N553, 000, N600, 050 and N800, 000 respectively. 7 grantees successfully implemented their projects and received full disbursements in two tranches however 1 grantee was only given only one tranche and 1 was given no tranche at all due to their failure to meet the standard for implementing activities.
The Amana Initiative was highly successful surpassing its targets with a range of activities: theatre performances, essay competitions, football tournaments, town hall meetings, radio programmes and jingles, rallies, training etc. the Abuja Global Shapers were allocated $10, 000 for the implementation of the project. The Amana Initiative has been identified as the most successful youth driven security initiative in Nigeria.
In view of the success achieved and impact of Amana 1.0, the use U.S Embassy has granted the Abuja Hub $73,000 (Seventy-Three Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Dollars) to initiate and implement Amana 2.0 aimed to impact over 100,000 youths and security agencies in 10 states of Northern Nigeria.
The overreaching objective of the Amana Initiative is to build and increase the level of “Amana” which means trust between youth and security agencies, in Nigeria, Africa, and the world.
