By Fr John Damian Adizie

History was made on December 17, 2012 when UN finally designated September 5 as International Day of Charity. IDC promotes charitable efforts made towards poverty alleviation. Coincidentally, most of the UN Sustainable Development Goals focus on mutual solidarity, fundamental option for the poor and vulnerable ones.

It also acknowledges the role of Charitable and philanthropic organizations, especially in the area of youth and women empower-ment.

Charity is the only force that can pull down the walls of hatred, divisions and even war. It is the only solution to the perennial problem of poverty, unemployment, in-surgencies and political agitations.

If the government could channel the money it spends on security to youth empowerment and how I wish wealthy men like Aliko Dangote could channel the money he in-tends using to buy Arsenal FC into charit-able initiatives insurgencies will be reduced.

If Nigerians abroad could channel the fund they are using to sponsor the militants and secession into youth empowerment and other charitable initiatives, certainly, our country will not be in a mess. An idle mind is indeed devil’s workshop!

Before embarking on Youth Empowerment and Rehabilitation programme I had a revelation. The Lord told me that our Country, Nigeria is spending a lot of money on insecurity and the fight against in-surgencies. If such monies were to be channeled towards the rehabilitation and empowerment of youths, insecurity and insurgencies will be a thing of the past.

All the effort I made to communicate this divine message to political and religious leaders proved abortive because of the wall they built around themselves.

As I was contemplating how best I could deliver this message, the Lord told me exactly what he told Gideon in Judges 6:14. “Go in the might of yours and deliver the Nigerian youths from unemployment, agitations and insurgencies.” Prior to this message, I thought this was strictly the role of political leaders.

When Gideon was given a similar mandate he asked: “Lord, how can I deliver Israel? behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, I am the least in my family.” That was exactly what I thought. ‘How can I deliver the Nigerian youths when I am an ordinary religious priest under the vow of poverty? Where will I get the money to empower the youths? Where will I even start?

As I was contemplating these, the Lord said,

“Don’t worry, I will be with you” (Judges 6:16). When I heard this, I felt encouraged. I kept telling myself, ‘yes, it is possible!”

I may not be able to cover the entire country; but a journey of many miles begins with a step. If we start, other God-fearing men of God will certainly join. Just before we started, God blessed me with a co-founder named Ezinne Charity Onuoha, a woman who is as charitable as her name implies.

We got our first Rehabilitation and Empowerment centre registered and approved. Right now, we have more than 98 orphans and vulnerable youths.

This is just the beginning! Our vision is to establish this rehabilitation centre in the 36 states in Nigeria and if possible other parts of Africa.

For expansion and continuity we have started training young Seminarians and Reverend Sisters with a similar vision, who will assist in this noble task. With this, the future of our youths is bright. Indeed, there is still hope!

Nigeria is yet to embrace the culture of re-habilitation. There are minor cases that would have been referred to rehabilitation centres but unfortunately such cases end up in prisons where vulnerable youths are exposed to hardened criminals who often initiate them into more crimes and evil practices.

In our rehabilitation centres we expose our youths to skill acquisitions and other life transforming activities that enable them become responsible citizens when they are finally discharged.

One of the challenges we are facing is how to convince our fellow men of God and other religious leaders on the importance of youth empowerment and rehabilitation. Some of them are even fighting against this noble vision.

When the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ wanted to send the hungry crowd away Jesus insisted, “You give them something to eat.” (Luke 9:13). Before he ascended into heaven Jesus called Peter three times, “Peter do you love me? …Then feed my sheep” (John 21:17). St. James declares, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God is to visit orphans and widows in their afflict-ions.” Youth empowerment is part of religious activities.

The best way to evaluate our religious success is not on how many private jets we have but how many souls we are able to touch  here on earth and how many people gained salvation through us.

The government and political leaders may have failed the youths but the Church and religious leaders should not fail—Charity is the only way out—And it begins at home!