| NEHEMIAH YOUTH ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM NEHEMIAH’S SMALL SCALE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROJECT Introduction African Projects for Peace and Love Initiatives (A.P.P.L.I.) is a newly established NGO that wishes to promote proactive peace in the continent of Africa through several methods, ways and means. The two structures that A.P.P.L.I. wishes to develop are the structured education for peace and the socio-cultural adjustment. For the SEP we have mapped out three channels: the launching of peace and love clubs at the grassroots levels, the creation of peace education centers, and the establishment of a post secondary peace academy. Evidently, we are already making some impacts in these areas of our activities. While elements of socio-cultural adjustments will rub in on the people of Africa through the SEP channels, specific socio-cultural adjustments would be required to maximize the gains that SEP may generate. The socio-cultural adjustments that would be proposed by A.P.P.L.I. and other similar organizations will not be the like the SAP of IMF with its unattainable conditionalities that sapped the grassroots through curtailed consumption, reduction of employment, stifling of production and under-utilization of local capacities by the mechanism of currency devaluation, and payments of odious debts, which unfortunately are still being pursued to the letter by several African governments It is the opinion of this writer that any structural adjustments program that failed to recognize the cultures of a people will not work for them. Structural adjustments must work hand in hand with cultural adjustments, otherwise economic violence will result. It is not a surprise that the SAP of IMF failed because it neglected the African peoples cultures entirely, refused to address their world views, and rejected to develop indigenous technologies. Therefore, we shall propose alternative socio-cultural adjustments that will work totally in the opposite directions by re-directing our focus and commitments towards increased consumption that can guarantee full utilization of localized capacities, enhanced wealth creation that is backed by productivity and thereby generate full employment for Africans in their own grassroots communities. An Overview of A.P.P.L.I. Structure and the Socio-Cultural Adjustment Program The Idea As mentioned above, the grassroots proactive peace programs of A.P.P.L.I. are based on the two pillars: the Structured Education for Peace (SEP), and the Socio-Cultural Adjustments Programs, (SAP). The aspect being addressed in this proposal is the socio-cultural adjustments programs of A.P.P.L.I. As a part of the long term aspirations of African Projects for Peace and Love Initiatives and for the sustenance of peace in Africa, we are seeking to introduce, among several others, a socio-cultural adjustment program to be called the Nehemiah Small Scale Economic Empowerment Project. This project is better explained than described. The idea is that we want to propose to higher institutions, polytechnics, technical colleges and business schools, to commit resources to the design and development of small scale industrial, business and professional services opportunities, which can be owned, managed and operated by few skilled people in specific fields of specializations. The beneficiaries will probably be graduate students from particular departments of such institutions. The projects will be such that one or two or at most five people can operate as partners, or even a family business where husbands and wives, and if possible, their grown up children can support in operating as cottage businesses, in their homes, in basements, and backyards, or where possible, at mall-like, market, industrial and business environments. How will the Joint Venture Work? The Joint Venture will receive proposals from participating higher institutions, technical colleges and polytechnics specifying the small scale business opportunities that those departments would like to develop. After a council of the Joint Venture might have reviewed the feasibilities of those proposals, it will recommend them for further development, packaging and implementation. The Joint Venture will then encourage the participation of governments at all levels to invest in these small scale projects, beginning with the Local Governments which might be encouraged to provide land and buildings, possibly in dedicated areas of markets or village areas. The State Governments might be requested to provide power and water supply and other amenities, and the Federal Government might be required to make venture funds available to these ventures, and legislations that will regulate and protect the small scale industrialists. It is also possible that this Joint Venture will be able to approach International Donors and Foundation more cohesively than would scattered and weaker isolated organizations. Short and Long Term Benefits First and foremost, this will be a relational and community venture because the higher institutions, technical colleges, and poly techniques that developed, designed and packaged these small scale businesses will be interested in their overall success. Since the operators/owners of these businesses have been trained and empowered by those institutions, they will find it easy to maintain some relationships with their alma mater which in turn will be interested in their success. Huge political and economic gains will be generated by those ventures since all levels of governments will have invested interest in them. The wellbeing of the members of the general public will be impacted since these businesses will create new avenues for gainful employment. Partners to the Joint Venture As mentioned above, the partners of this Joint Venture will include 1. The higher institutions of learning 2. The NGO – African Projects for Peace and Love Initiatives 3. The Local Government, State Governments, Federal Government 4. The Financial Institutions 5. International Donors Forum and Foundations 6. The Owner Operators 7. The Community at Large The Important Roles of Higher Institutions in Promoting Economics of Peace There is no doubt that African nations are in ruins and our communities are disillusioned and our youths are confused. If our higher institutions are prepared to take their rightful places in the community, and are ready to accept the tasks of rebuilding our nations and her peoples, it will be their tasks to cultivate the new society of knowledge that Africa needs to forge ahead for economic progress and peace. It is not enough to graduate students and hand to them degrees that cannot guarantee employments. The institutions of higher learning can make the difference in several ways, not only through endless academic debates and striving with the politicians, but by creating poverty reduction or poverty elimination and wealth creating opportunities for the grassroots through the design, development, and packaging of small scale employment opportunities. In spite of the ruins and decays that are everywhere manifested in our communities, our youths still clamor for and throng to higher institutions to receive higher education. It is true that the academic institutions are a reflection of the society at large, yet the opportunities to retrieve the society from further decays are more prominent at our higher institutions than at any other place. From these ruins and decays, precious stones could still be picked and varnished into gems of great value. I am particularly impressed by the work that our universities are doing even though much is still desired. It is indeed praiseworthy that in spite of great opportunities available overseas to make hard currencies under legitimate or illegitimate means, these professors and academicians still chose to stay behind and work under deplorable economic conditions to educate our children in the higher institutions. The opportunity costs to them are indeed really great. This is why I believe that our higher institutions are still a sector of the African community in which we can repose some confidence for nation building, societal recovery, and community strengthening. For this reason, the chief partner in the proposed Joint Venture will be our higher institutions of learning. They are the ones who will conceptualize, design, develop and package the small scale cottage industries. They are the ones who will market them among their students. They are the ones who will prove to other partners in this proposed Joint Venture that the scheme can work. It is their contributions to this Joint Venture that will generate the international supports for the small scale economic empowerment projects. The NGO - African Projects for Peace and Love Initiatives A.P.P.L.I. will provide the NGO connections to this Joint Venture. A.P.P.L.I. will liaise with local, international, and continental and intercontinental NGOs, Donors Forums, and Foundations for the funding and implementation of this Joint Venture. A.P.P.L.I. will provide the administrative services required to make this Joint Venture functional. A.P.P.L.I. is aspiring to create a new conversation with the Western World and the rest of humanity about the need for grassroots peace in Africa. As has been mentioned before, the peace that A.P.P.L.I. is working at is one that will include economic peace. The Nehemiah Small Scale Economic Empowerment Project may provide the forum through which this conversation might be channeled for tangible participation by the international communities. The Local Governments Since this is a program that concerns community and nation building, all levels of Government will be involved in its implementation. The local governments will be variously responsible for the provision of land facilities where it is considered economically viable to locate a group of cottage industries within the same vicinity. The local governments will be expected to layout such lands to facilitate and enhance the location of the cottage industries. To enhance local community participation students who hailed from a particular local government might be considered on a priority or zoning basis for admission into the scheme. This scheme may also be integrated into the local government’s business development scheme. Where the local government has no such scheme in operation, this may be the appropriate idea to emulate. The State Governments The State Governments will be persuaded to engage appropriate resources to support the Nehemiah Small Scale Economic Empower Projects. There are some facilities that are beyond the capacity of Local Governments. The State Governments will be expected to fill in those gaps by providing adequate utilities (water, electricity, transportation, communication, etc.) that would make the scheme work. Each State Government participating in the scheme could also contribute liaison and advisory units within the purview of its trade, commerce, and business development programs to support this venture. The legislative arms of the State Governments will legislate laws which will make the Nehemiah Small Scale Economic Empowerment Project legal within their states. The Federal Government It is an obvious fact African national governments do not put much emphasis on investing on their people. It is important to realize that to build a nation, its people must first be built, because the people are the ones who will build the nation. One way to achieve national peace is through full employment. Though war and violence, may appear to contribute to employment, but the opportunity costs are far more insignificant, because war and violence tend to be destructive than productive. Perhaps, if national governments whole- heartedly support cottage industries as being proposed by the Nehemiah Small Scale Economic Empowerment Projects, the propensities for war and violence may reduce or disappear completely. In view of this, the Federal Government will be encouraged to allocate adequate resources to the project. The legislative arms of the Federal Government will be encouraged to pass appropriate bills that will recognize and regulate the activities of this economic empowerment program. Where necessary, the Federal Government will support directly or indirectly, the efforts of all the partners involved in this scheme by providing enabling environments for its success. Though participation will be voluntary, the Federal Government will be encouraged to arrange an incentive scheme that will reward educational and financial institutions that participate in this program. The Federal Government will encourage rule of law, the unfettered operation of the market economy, and prepared to provide subsidies for sustenance for these young enterprises. The Financial Institutions The role that financial institutions play in rural development in developed countries, such as the United States of America, is tremendous. Commercial banks are in the habit of allocating billions of Dollars in loans to rural development. No wonder we see new communities, housing projects, shopping complexes, health centers, educational institutions, recreation and worship centers springing up everywhere in city suburbs all over the United States. Though costs of maintaining loans in African countries are high because of low and relative capitalization, yet commercial banks can still contribute to rural developments by supporting the Nehemiah Small Scale Economic Empowerment Project. The financial institutions in collaboration with the Federal Government will be required to provide venture capital for this scheme. The International Donors’ Forum and Foundations The idea of small scale industrial programs is not new to international donors’ forums and foundations. Management of the schemes in third worlds, especially in African countries, might have been responsible for the reluctance to invest in the scheme by international donors and foundations. However, with the new idea of deliberately creating a join venture partnership for its implementation in the way being speculated, it is likely that the international donors and foundations may reconsider their position and give the scheme a chance to prove itself. The Owner Operator At the start, the scheme will operate of a model-scale basis. A handful of projects might be started with on experimental basis. Similarly, owner/operators will be hand-picked using appropriate criteria to determine their suitability for the business being packaged. The potential owner/operator, being an alumnus or alumna of the institution packing the industry would have had some involvement in its development. Through seminars, workshops, conferences, and additional training, the owner/operator will receive essential technical and non-technical supports necessary for the survival, growth and development of the enterprises. The Community at Large One way to start to re-build African nations is by rebuilding the communities. It is necessary to education Africans that they are members of the community where they live and work and as such must contribute to the welfare and wellbeing of their communities. A major reason for education in Africa and elsewhere is that it is rather too objective or too subjective but lacking completely in community basics. The communities in which the cottage industries will be located will be encouraged to patronize those businesses. They will be encouraged to develop some affinities with those industries for their own overall benefits. The political will for success will be encouraged by making the community to see the success of such cottage industries as the success of the community at large. Where considered appropriate and through appropriate business procedures, members of the communities may own shares in these cottage industries. The State of the Nations It will be naïve for anyone to think that things can change so quickly from its present situations in African countries. But it will be equally stupid to throw up our hands in the air and be despondent, saying the conditions cannot change or improve. With determination and good leadership Africa can forge ahead and free herself from decadence, obscurity and hopelessness. Talking about the situation is good, but doing something about it is better. We must start from somewhere. And we must start now. The Proposal Though this outline is not as scientific as it ought to be because it is barren of statistical inferences, yet it can serve as a way of convening my ideas to the audience expected to participate at the proposed meeting which I desire to convene with some university professors when I visit Nigeria in August or September to brainstorm on how to start this Joint Venture. I am not unaware of the fact that many small scale programs have been proposed in the past even by the World Bank and similar financial institutions, but it is likely that those small scale projects have failed for obvious reasons, the chief among which was lack of invested community interested. Perhaps, if Africans can re-introduce the sense of community into our lifestyles, where every member of the community contributes his or her own love quota, we might start to turn our community lives around for the better, and economic peace may ensue. Rev. Titus K. Oyeyemi President and CEO African Projects for Peace and Love Initiatives, INC. NFP. June 21, 2004. Chicago, USA |