MAXWELL OGAGA : MAKING A DIFFERENCE
My name is Maxwell Ogaga. I hold a B.Sc (ED) Degree in Social Studies Education and a BCC in Leadership from the prestigious Daystar Leadership Academy, Lagos.
I lead the Earth Charter Youth Group in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria (www.earthcharter.org), a programme which currently organizes workshops for secondary schools. I am also a UNICEF trained peer educator, and a TIG/CLCWA Trainer (www.takingitglobal.org/clcwa).
I am the Deputy Volunteer Coordinator CLCWA, Delta State and I was part of the first process of the Nigeria e-youth forum to Abuja under the auspices of British Council/ Youngsters Foundation in the first quarter of 2008.
Also, in recognition of my contributions to developmental efforts in Delta State,I won an Award at the Delta Youth Summit in January 2008 in Asaba where I chaired a Youth Working Group in Leadership, Good governance and Democracy.
I was invited by the British Council and the Youngstars Foundation to participate in the Nigeria Youth Stakeholders Forum, in Abuja to discuss and recommend practical solutions to financing Youth Development in Nigeria around 2008. I was engaged as the Chair of this forum's Working Group on Niger Delta. My interests transcend through National Development.
I am the convener of the "New Nigeria Dream Summit" every August in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. The first key note speakers were the Ex-president of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staffs Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Dr Brown Ogbeifun (www.brownogbeifun.com) and Gbenga Sessan of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) (www.gbengasesan.com).
I am married and I reside in Warri, where I serve as the team leader of an NGO Dare 2 Dream Youth Initiative, a programme that builds young people's capacity in the area of leadership, ICT for Development, and value orientation. I am really interested in getting partners in the area of youth leadership, peace and conflict resolution, environment and good governance initiatives!
DARE 2 DREAM YOUTH INITIATIVE
In the midst of major world challenges, something profound is being reborn - recognition that youth with concern, vision and commitment can make significant contributions to transforming the planet. That is what D2DYI is all about, an organization that brings youths together, youths that believe that according to Mahatma Gandhi they can be the change they want to see, youths that believe in self motivation, value based leadership, the New Nigeria and the positive deployment of our talents and potentials. D2DYI agrees with Margaret Mead that you "never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has"Some men see things as they are and say, 'why?' we dream of the things that never were and say, 'why not!' We see a new caliber of youths rising to build the New Nigeria of our dreams and we are committed through positive actions in seeing it come to pass. The youths of D2DYI are stepping above the limitations of their environment, we are daring to dream, and knowing that in the dream of a better tomorrow lies the very future we hope for.