It is our pleasure to introduce the Youth Development and Empowerment Forum (YDEF) to you. Our anchor scripture is taken from the book of Isaiah chapter 42 and verse 18. If an eight year old child were asked what he thought the biggest problem facing Nigeria and Africa was, he would rightly say Corruption. This is basically the result of bad leaders and our poor leadership.The vacuum this leadership phenomenon has created is so tangible that a child born today will most likely feel the vacuum of poor leadership, the atmosphere of lawlessness and disorderliness. Thus this calls for a paradigm shift.

"And the Lord said to Moses, get down for your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have made themselves a moulded calf and worship it and sacrificed to it and said this is your god." - Exodus 32:7-8

This singular act of the children of Israel prolonged their wilderness journey by forty years. This brought great destruction upon them and forced God to deal with the youth instead. Thus, he groomed them, gave them His law and instructed them not to behave as their fathers had who were destroyed. Our nation, Nigeria and the other countries of Africa were once under the bondage of colonial masters but are now independent. Yet the problems facing us facing us still abound. There is the need for a paradigm shift; a change of focus from our fathers to the children and from the old to the youth. The sooner we give due attention to our youth, who are our potential leaders, the better the state of our continent and nation will be. If Nigeria/Africa will have a future and attain her designed enviable glory, then attention need to be shifted to the youths, to develop and empower them through the word of God that help them secure a pure mind of service, integrity, honesty, accountability, loyalty and respond to their inner abilities to save Nigeria/Africa from going down the drain.

ABOUT US (FORUM)

Youth Development and Empowerment Forum (YDEF) is a God kingdom based forum, an international, non-denominational forum with the Jesus principles platform. It is forum through which the youth will be reached before they are reached by the larger society. It is a forum through which destinies will be discovered and recovered, potentials, talents will be nurtured and youths will be developed, empowered in all areas as we prepare them to be enlisted in god's end time army that will bring about the change Africa is long due for. I am talking about a paradigm shift from this present generation of leaders to the youths. How long are we going to complain about them?

OUR VISION

Youths development and empowerment forum (YDEF) is a God given vision poised to destiny discovering and recovering destinies, equipping youths with kingdom principles to meeting the needs of humanities, developing potential and talent, and general empowerment in the pursuit of destiny, life career talk, youth investment initiative and entrepreneurial platform for youth ownership and management of business.

OUR MISSION

To develop youths, spiritually, morally & leadership wise through inspirational teachings

To help many discover destinies unknown to them through the word of God

Dearly beloved friends,

I welcome you to the Project Smiles blog. It is my prayer that you are ministered to and that something tangible will be sown in your hearts as you pay us a visit in Jesus Name, Amen.

We are not only interested in touching the lives of destitute and needy children in the society; we are also expanding our vision to accommodate families in order to help restructure the families in Nigeria and Africa in the long run.

Our major objective is to put a smile on the face of persons we come in contact with, with our primary focus on children, especially those in orphanages and hospitals. We will also be reminding them of their importance in the sight of God and how their presence on earth is of great importance and for a greater purpose. "Then were there brought unto him little children that he should lay his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.'"Matthews 19:13-15

We will also be showing them a love that knows no bound and to taking part in bringing them up in the ways of the Father.

It's also our hope that we will be part of the team responsible for raising a new generation of leaders in Africa and to place a sense of purpose to every child. "Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good'" Isaiah 7:15. We want to be mentors to the children of Africa, giving them a sense of direction regarding the situation and state of affairs of the African Continent and also showing them how they can contribute to a better Africa.

The things we have in store for the children in Africa are so plentiful but we look up to God, our Father and creator, the one with whom all things are possible, to accomplish all he has set for us to do. So I urge you to come and be part of his good works in the life of the Children.

God bless you.

Ifeanyi Osaka and Tomisin Obaniyi

(Visionier and Co-visionier)

 

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