SEE YOU IN 2020 FOR #AYCtheRESILIENT

Today, curtains closed for Activate Youth Camp 2019 and we officially announced the theme for 2020: I AM RESILIENT.

It has been an awesome journey for the past 7 days. Networks built, skills learned, fun had and amazing friends made. Campers have been energized and empowered to be the best they can be and bring everything they do into focus.

The expression on the faces of our campers as they leave for their various destinations gives us joy and immeasurable satisfaction.

The coordinating team, mentors and interns express deep gratitude to God and to all partners and supporters who made the success of the camp possible from the planning phase to this moment.

Dates for I AM RESILIENT will be announced on our social media platforms and we encourage everyone to follow us across all platforms.

Once again, thank you and see you at Activate Youth Camp 2020

Follow our picture stories here on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

AMUSEMENTS, ACCOLADES AND AWARDS: A NIGHT OF VARIETIES

Gradually the curtains are beginning to close as we round up Day 6 which is our last full day at the 2019 Activate Youth Camp.

Today, we started with the general training session led by Mr. Taiwo Akinlami. His session focused

on distractions young people face especially the campers. He highlighted easy distraction for campers were social media, video games including emotional attachment (boy friend and girl friend). Following from these, he mentioned that there are 3 types of people on the internet: the fun seekers, the fraudsters and the business/information seekers. In rounding up, he encouraged campers that “the future begins today; there is no future if we don’t manage today well.”

The skills class rounded up and finalized their products. The second phase of the skills class was a general session on financial inclusion and money saving by Okeroghene Egbi, the Customer Acquisition Manager at Renmoney Nigeria. She advised campers to develop a saving culture and investment attitude.

At Sports, campers having trained for the whole week engaged mentors in a friendly match that ended in goals galore with mentors coming from 4 goals down to win the match at 6 – 5. The atmosphere created post match stood true to the words “losing is

part of winning!”

The highlights of tonight was our Varieties night and award ceremony. Campers presented in different categories from dance, to music, modeling, spoken word poetry and displayed the final products of what they had learned over the week. Best performing campers across all the skills and sporting categories were rewarded including the top prizes for the night for Overall Best Camper Male and Female categories; and Overall Best Mentor/Intern Male and Female categories.

Tomorrow the curtains will draw close for Activate Youth Camp 2019 and we can’t wait to see the expressions from the campers as they say their goodbyes to their new friends, loved facilitators and favourite mentors.

Follow our picture stories here on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE VS CIRCLE OF CONCERN

Today’s adventure was a continuation of yesterday where campers discussed Circle of Influence vs Circle of Concern and identified things or situations they can control (circle of influence) and things or situations they have no control of (circle of concern).

The General Training was led by Rotimi Ogunyemi a renowned technology lawyer and ICT expert who took us through the "4Rs to Build An Outstanding Life". The 4Rs were: 

Be Respectful
Be Reliable
Be Resourceful and
Be Resilient 

Using his life as an example, he said he had passion for technology but his father made him to study law and he found a way to converge both.

In rounding up, he urged campers to make the most out of life and the need for them to compress problem solving, creativity, originality and innovation to survive in life.

For the Journey of Guided Learning, we were in for a sweet and delicious Journey steered by Ayodeji Megbope; a globally acclaimed caterer, entrepreneur and CEO of No Left Overs. She admonished campers to know that “Sometimes our journey in life may take us through a rough process but it is what you do with what life throws at you that matters.” 

She made everyone know that their journey in life today will be someone's guide tomorrow. Posterity will be the judge of a good journey and a bad one. You and I are however the determinants of posterity's conclusion.

As we near the final days at Activate Youth Camp 2019, campers sharpened their skills and continued to perfect what they have learned across board.

Music was the crème de la crème for tonight as campers rhymed to the beats, showed off their singing skills and enjoying a great performance from our guest AMI.

Follow our picture stories here on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

BUILDING IDENTITY: ONE ACT AT A TIME

As always, our flashlight was expository as campers shared lessons learned from yesterday. Adventure on the other hand centered around self discovery and self affirmation for positivity

facilitated by Rotimi Adeaga.

At general training, Ugochukwu  Ezeagwula CEO of Identita shared his personal story as an inspiration to campers. In this, he noted that your purpose is inexcusably tied to people. For you to

fulfill purpose, you have to impact people.

We had an expert driver today for the Journey of Guided Learning and we were steered calmly by Adenusi Patrick. In his remarks, he said “My name is Adenusi Patrick a retired 'molue' driver but today, that retired driver who at a point in Lagos ate twice a week and squatted in Lagos for 11years where i slept on a wooden chair is now an expert consultant appearing on TV and meeting with United Nations, Governors and Ministers."

Mr. Adenusi Patrick reminded us that no door is too difficult to knock only if we A.C.T (Action Changes Things).

Our campers entered into the intermediate level today at the skills sessions. The clothes sewn, shoes made, make-up done and small chops all took shape and photographer campers began to shoot photos on their own.

Following the skills session, we completed our movie from last night and shared reflections on real life impacts or manifestation.

The final act today was off-the-roof as campers could not contain their excitement for Drama Night with the arrival of Femi Jacobs; Award Winning Actor, Producer, Author and Speaker. Our teams were at their best before our judge and displayed creativity with their acts. Congratulations to team Amber for winning in the dance tonight.

Follow our picture stories here on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

ACTIVATE YOUTH CAMP @ 7: DANCING INTO THE YEAR OF PERFECTION

As 2019 launched Activate Youth Camp into its 7^th year, the number resonates with us as the year of perfection and  the theme Convergence becomes perfect to bring it all together.Our third day started with our early morning drills after which campers headed out to breakfast.

The next on our agenda was flash light where we reflected on the lessons learned from the second day and how to be in a better shape for today.

Today’s adventure opened our eyes to understand it was in times past that curiosity killed cat. Now, curiosity with direction and focus saves the cat and makes the cat exceptional and we were challenged to always want to know more and be more than what we are now. We moved on from adventure to general training facilitated by Ruth Goma.

In the general training, Champ Ruth Goma guided us into reflecting on the themes of Activate Youth Camp from the first year from “I Have It In Me” to our theme for this year “Convergence”. In this process, we reflected on the impact of AYC on campers who had attended before and they shared their impact stories which led them to return to AYC and how they want to use this impact to change the lives of others. 

The outcome of our learning today was the development of creeds along the themes of AYC over the years and a formular for success which is listening + understanding ÷ hardwork = success.

The skills sessions are beginning to take shape as we began to see the first finished prototypes from all of our skills session today.

The spotlight of tonight was dance. 

With pumped up adrenalin and dancing shoes, our campers displayed creative moves and showed who the boss on the dance is before our celebrity guest; award winning dancer, choreographer and director Segun Lawal of the Spirit if David Dance Group.

Before leaving, Segun Lawal noted that “being at Activate Youth Camp, you have the opportunity to let your creativity change you and your environment for better” before reiterating his commitment to the vision of Activate Youth Camp over the past 7 years and the next 100 years.

Follow our picture stories here on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter