The Akin Fadeyi Foundation with support from MacArthur Foundation recently organised a sensitization workshop through the Be Safe Initiative, at the Gadis Event Centre in Bwari Area Council, Abuja with the theme ‘Empowered to Create Safe Spaces Online and Beyond.’
The Founder and Executive Director, Akin Fadeyi Foundation, Akin Fadeyi said, “The Be Safe Initiative bears testament to the Akin Fadeyi Foundation’s continued commitment to its Behavioural Change, Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) initiatives.
“It is a journey we have embarked upon to empower students and staff, equipping them with the requisite skills to combat Corruption, Cyberbullying, Sextortion, Gender-Based Violence and other issues of social injustice.
Also speaking at the event, the Programme Coordinator of the Akin Fadeyi Foundation, Patience Ismaila said that “the Be Safe Sensitization Workshop marked a significant milestone in promoting safety awareness among students and staff in the Area council”.
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Participants which are from three Government Senior Secondary Schools within the Bwari Area Council, namely, Government Day Secondary School Bwari, Government Day Secondary School Dutsen-Alhaji, and Government Secondary School Jibi enjoyed highly interactive training sessions, including discussions, role-plays, Advocacy Drama Messages (Corruption Not In My Country) and activities that reinforced the concepts taught.
Participants were equipped to serve as Champions of Be Safe, empowered to conduct step-down training sessions for their peers.
Each participant received workshop materials, including jotters, pens, and the Be Safe manual, designed to support ongoing learning and serve as reference materials.
Responding to a question by a participant during the interactive session at the workshop, AFF Project Coordinator, Patience Ismaila explained that “corruption is a learned behaviour, and thus, the urge to engage in it is also learned.”
She emphasized that while the urge may come and go, what truly matters is how one responds to it, highlighting the importance of adopting the mindset that change begins with oneself.
Commending the organisers, participants said the training provided by the Akin Fadeyi Foundation is an eye opener and will go a long way to change the mindset of participants on corruption and other vices.
They assured the organizer of their commitment to spread the message from the workshop, more especially for individuals to understand the power of being safe.
They also called and encouraged organizations and NGOs, to bring programs like this to schools, such as the Be Safe Initiative by the Akin Fadeyi Foundation. This they said would give students exposure and educate them about bullying, which they noted is a prevalent issue in senior secondary schools.
The Be Safe Sensitization Workshop was a resounding success. It effectively equipped students and staff with essential knowledge and skills to address and combat critical safety issues.
“The participants’ commitment to acting as Champions of Be Safe and stepping down the training in their respective schools is a promising step towards creating a safer school environment. Continuous monitoring and evaluation will ensure the sustained effectiveness of the initiative, contributing to long-term safety and security within the school communities,” the organizer explained.
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