Red Cross to youths: Stop complaining… be the change you demand

Ameen Abdul, the national youth chairman of the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), says young Nigerians should “rise and take their destiny in their hands”.

Abdul spoke in Agbor, Delta state, on Thursday during the closing ceremony of the 18th edition of the NRCS international youth camp, held at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Training School.

He said the “world would be a better place in no time if young people decide to do something positive in their corners”.

He noted that youths must take the bold step of driving the change that they desire, adding that participants should make the best out of what they have learnt during the camp to alleviate human suffering wherever they may find themselves.

“There is no prize for complaining. Anybody can complain about their circumstances. However, the youth must understand that the world is changed not by a multitude of people, but one person at a time,” Abdul said.

“This camp may have concluded, but the journey for these young humanitarians is just beginning.

“They’ve been equipped with the tools, the knowledge, and most importantly, the passion to make a difference.

“And as they step into the world, they carry with them the essence of what it means to be a Red Cross volunteer — to alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found.”

Sidney Osawaru, NRCS national youth adviser, noted that the camp was a lasting “testimony to the power of what is possible when young people work together”.

“The youth must understand that nobody is going to simply hand over leadership to them. Power is not given. You have to earn it. You must show the capacity to lead,” Osawaru said.

The weeklong camp featured first aid simulations, first aid practical, climate change sessions, leadership development, skills acquisition, artificial intelligence lectures, entrepreneurship lectures, fitness sessions, social night, cultural display, and beauty pageantry.