Young people around the world marked the 30th anniversary of Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) from April 20 – 22, 2018. #GYSD is a campaign of Youth Service America (YSA), a youth-focused nonprofit in the US, for children, young adults and their champions in more than 100 countries to led and participate in volunteer projects promoting the diverse and wonderful charitable activities by youth.

SI4DEV in collaboration with Spring Development Initiative, their US affiliate organization, celebrated GYSD in Nigeria with various youth-led activities in 12 States and the FCT. Over 2000 children, teens and young adults between 5 and 25 years benefited from hand washing skills and other life-transforming talks.

SI4DEV youth leaders also provided food and donations to less privileged children in orphanages and rehabilitation centres, and campaigned online, in the streets, and in churches, promoting youth voter registration and elections participation.

“Global Youth Service Day is the biggest event for recognizing the impact of youths in taking action and making change,” said Nkem Akinsoto, Executive Director of Spring Development Initiative, and program manager of the SI4DEV Partners Program.

“I love community service, and as a youth joining youths around the world in acts of service and to make a great difference together was important to me,” said Ako Eyo Oku, the SI4DEV Ibadan coordinator and lead participant in four SI4DEV activities for GYSD in Ibadan.