Wikipedia

Devatop Centre for Africa Development

Devatop Centre for Africa Development is a youth-led nonprofit organization with aimed towards fighting and combating human trafficking, gender-based violence, child abuse, providing educational materials and academical support to vulnerable children, and empowering women and youth. The organization has been in the forefront of combating human trafficking and executing educational projects in Nigeria. It is registered with the Cooperate Affairs Commission Nigeria and since its establishment it has impacted over a million people through training, sensitization, assistance, donations and media.[1]

Devatop Centre for Africa Development
FoundedStarted as a community development project in 2013 by Joseph Osuigwe Chidiebere in Nigeria
TypeNon-profit
NGO
HeadquartersAbuja, Nigeria
Location
ServicesEquipping and empowering young people to be at the forefront of combating human trafficking, and national development.
FieldsAnti-human trafficking, human rights, education, eradicating gender-based violence, preventing female genital mutilation, women empowerment, and youth empowerment
Joseph Osuigwe Chidiebere
Websitedevatop.org

History

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The Devatop Centre for Africa Development started in 2013 as a National Youth Service Community Development Project by Joseph Osuigwe Chidiebere.[2] After Osuigwe interviewed and interacted with victims of sex trafficking, he was aggrieved at the rate of human trafficking in Nigeria, and this propelled him to initiate a community service to train thousands of youth, teenagers, educators, and women on how to combat human trafficking. He partnered with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to execute different anti-human trafficking projects.[3] In 2014, he formed a team of young people to sustain the impact, and this led to the establishment of the Devatop Centre for Africa Development.

Vision and missions

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The vision of Devatop[4] is to build a nation without human trafficking and where young people are empowered for national development.[5] Her missions[6] are: To combat and prevent human trafficking, gender-based violence, & violence against children. To provide educational support to vulnerable children. To empower women and young people to be agents of national development and to play strategic roles in combating human trafficking.

Impact and controversy

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Through her training, advocacy, and TV and radio programmes, more than one million people have been sensitized[7] on anti-human trafficking and eradication of gender based violence.[8] Devatop is mainly working with young people in prevention of human trafficking. Some people have frowned at how Devatop is using young people to combat human trafficking. The organization’s idea is that since young people are the major targets of traffickers, then they need to be trained and empowered to be at the forefront of combating the monstrous crime.[9] The organization has provided educational materials and services to internally displaced children. At least 90 schools in 85 communities have benefited from her educational donations[10] and seminars.

Partnership

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The organization has partnered with:

  • National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)[10] to carry out anti-human trafficking advocacy projects in Nigeria.
  • United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) to provide educational materials and services to internally displaced children.[11]

Supporters

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  • The Pollination Project
  • The Girl Generation
  • Mcginnity Family Foundation
  • U.S Embassy Abuja
  • Africa Centre for Media and Information Literacy
  • International Centre for Investigative Reporting
  • Human Rights Radio 101.1FM Abuja

Programs

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  • Red card to FGM
  • World Book day
  • Project Donate2School
  • HumansNot4Trade Campaign
  • Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy
  • End Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration Advocacy
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In 2015, the organization started a pilot project on The Academy for Prevention of Human Trafficking and Other Related Matters.[3][12] The initiator, Mr. Osuigwe said, "The academy focuses on Training, Advocacy, Research, Media, Publication and Empowerment. In the first phase of the pilot project, 120 young people from 6 states in Nigeria were trained, after which they impacted the lives of 6000 people within 9 months. They also reported incidences of human trafficking. One of the reported cases was Amina who was abducted/trafficked from Abuja to Kano for forced marriage."[9][13] She was eventually rescued.[14]

TALKAM

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On 25 October 2018, Devatop Centre for Africa Development launched the TALKAM mobile application[15] for reporting human trafficking and gender-based violence(GBV); and also a human trafficking data portal which will help to gather information of different forms of human trafficking incidences and governments efforts to tackling them in each of the 36 states of Nigeria. TALKAM is an innovative project that focuses on utilizing information and communication technology tools to speak out about human trafficking, human rights abuses & irregular migration. It monitors, analyzes, reports, advocates and stimulates actions among community members, policy makers, government, and more importantly to change the status quo in Nigeria.[16]

The organization started a weekly TALKAM radio and TV program against human trafficking and migration on Human Rights Radio 101.1FM Abuja.[17] The program, which airs every Friday from 10am to 10.30am,[18] engages experts to sensitize citizens about new trends of human trafficking and migration, while allowing them to phone-in to commend or report during the show.

Devatop anti-human trafficking ambassadors

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End female genital mutilation advocacy

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To protect the rights of women and girls, Devatop Centre for Africa Development, through her Executive Director, Joseph Osuigwe initiated End FGM Advocacy, making the organization among the leading youth-driven anti-female genital mutilation organizations in Nigeria. Devatop has gotten grants from The Girl Generation[21][22] and The Pollination Project to train[23] over 210 advocates[24] in Imo State and Abuja. The trained advocates are taking actions to reach out to 15,000 community members.

References

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  1. ^ "Devatop Centre For Africa Development". End Slavery Now. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Our Story – Devatop Centre for Africa Development". devatop.org. DCAD. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  3. ^ a b Maduka, Godsmercy (1 November 2016). "Committed to combating human trafficking - Writing.Com". www.writing.com. writing.com. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  4. ^ "Devatop Centre for Africa Development – bringing positive change". devatop.org.
  5. ^ "Devatop Centre For Africa Development - End Slavery Now". www.endslaverynow.org. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  6. ^ "About Us – Devatop Centre for Africa Development". devatop.org. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Profile". Confengine. 3 November 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  8. ^ Maker, Difference. "Devatop Centre for Africa Development". linkedin. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  9. ^ a b Maduka, Godsmercy (1 November 2016). "Committed to combating human trafficking - Writing.Com". www.writing.com. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  10. ^ a b "Devatop Centre for Africa Development - Projects - Wikiprogress". wikiprogress.org. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  11. ^ Onumah, Chido (26 April 2016). "Devatop Centre for Africa Development and UNICEF in partnership with Teenz Global Foundation, BookmySchool, AFRICMIL and others celebrate 2016 World Book Day at IDP camps in Abuja | Chidoonumah.com". www.chidoonumah.com. Chidoonumah news. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  12. ^ Akuboh, Venessa (16 July 2015). "Academy For Human Trafficking Prevention Inaugurated In Abuja |". leadership.ng. Leadership. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  13. ^ "Joseph Osuigwe Chidiebere". Confengine. 3 November 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  14. ^ Media, Insight (21 September 2016). "Research presentation for International Human Trafficking Conference at University of Toledo, USA". Oak TV. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  15. ^ "Talkam.org". www.talkam.org. TALKAM. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  16. ^ "About Us - Talkam.org". www.talkam.org. TALKAM. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  17. ^ Admin (26 November 2018). "ICIR-supported radio programme against human trafficking commences". www.icirnigeria.org. ICIR. ICIR. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  18. ^ "Talkam.org". www.talkam.org. TALKAM. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  19. ^ "DEVATOP Centre For Africa Development Inaugurates Nollywood Star, Kenneth Okonkwo, John Fashanu, Rachel Bakam, Others As Anti-Human Trafficking Ambassadors". Swift Reporters. Swift Reporters. 2 March 2017. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  20. ^ "Football Star, Popular Actor Among Anti-Human Trafficking Ambassadors | International Centre for Investigative Reporting". International Centre for Investigative Reporting. ICIR. 2 March 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  21. ^ "Group Gets Grant To End Female Genital Mutilation In Nigeria | International Centre for Investigative Reporting". International Centre for Investigative Reporting. ICIR. 17 April 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  22. ^ Ameh, Ejekwonyilo (4 June 2017). "Centre gets grant to execute FGM Advocacy in Okigwe". www.authorityngr.com. Authority Newspaper. Authority Newspaper. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  23. ^ "DEVATOP trains 115 advocates to end Female Genital Mutilation in Okigwe Zone, Imo State | Chidoonumah.com". www.chidoonumah.com. Chido Onumah. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  24. ^ "Group Trains 102 Advocates For Ending Female Genital Mutilation | International Centre for Investigative Reporting". International Centre for Investigative Reporting. ICIR. 2 May 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
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