To meaningfully engage children and young adults during this long holiday period, Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (YEDI) is organising a week-long holiday programme for age 11 to 18 years. Tagged Skillz Holiday Camp, the annual, youth-targeted event which is in its 4^th year focuses on educating young people about prevention of endemic diseases such as Malaria and HIV, as well as empowering them with knowledge on healthy habits and life management skills using the convening power of football and other physical activities in a safe, fun, non-discriminatory and interactive environment. Generously sponsored by ExxonMobil and M.A.C AIDS Fund, the summer camp which was flagged off on Monday August 1, 2016 at four locations in Lagos will also take place in Ogun and Akwa Ibom states from August 8^th to September 2^nd, 2016.

In a statement made available to the press, Anu Ishola, YEDI’s Executive Director stressed the importance of positively engaging young people during long holidays. “We are engaging young people during the long holiday, a period where they are most vulnerable, have a lot of idle time and are exposed to negative peer pressure that increases the likelihood of engaging in risky activities. This year, we are targeting 4,000 young people in Lagos, Ogun and Akwa Ibom,” she disclosed, while thanking the sponsors and volunteers for supporting a programme that makes the holiday period a memorable one for young people.

According to the statement, the camp runs for 8 hours per day over five days and participants will experience a series of exciting activities that will engage them for the whole day which will be handled by trained volunteers who will serve as coaches. Some of the activities include registration, orientation and physical exercises (where all participants partake in morning exercises and be briefed on the day's activities); breakfast (they are all given a well nourishing breakfast in preparation for the day's activities); Lunch (they are treated to a healthy meal with water); Bed-net demonstration (they are taught the importance of Long Lasting Insecticidal Net and how best to use it); Talent Hunt and exhibition (they are given an opportunity to showcase and hone their skills); Quiz competition (they will take part in some brain exercises to improve their knowledge); and several other activities.

Photo shows some of the participants in the camp.

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