Devatop Centre for Africa Development

Devatop Centre for Africa Development (DCAD) is a nonprofit organization with focus on combating human trafficking, gender-based violence, child abuse, providing educational materials to vulnerable children, and empowering women and youth. The organization has been in the forefront of combating human trafficking and educational projects in Nigeria. DCAD is registered with Cooperate Affairs Commission Nigeria and has impacted over a million people through training, sensitization, assistance, donations and media.^[1]

History

DCAD started in 2013 as a National Youth Service Community Development Project by Joseph Osuigwe Chidiebere.^[2] After Mr. Osuigwe 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

The vision of Devatop is to build a nation without human trafficking and where young people are empowered for national development.^[4] Her missions^[5] 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

Through her training, advocacy, and TV and Radio programmes, more than one million people have been sensitized^[6] on anti-human trafficking and eradication of gender based violence.^[7] 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.^[8] 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^[9] and seminars.

Partnership

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 carryout anti-human trafficking advocacy projects in Nigeria.
• United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) to provide educational materials and services to internally displaced children.^[11]

The Academy for Prevention of Human Trafficking and Other Related Matters (TAPHOM)

In 2015, the organization started a pilot project on The Academy for Prevention of Human Trafficking and Other Related Matters (TAPHOM).^[12][13] 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^[14] 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.^[15] We eventually rescued her^[16]"

External links

• Official Website
• Facebook
• twitter
• Instagram

References