PROJECT_INSPIRE: Can we meet you?
Samuel: My name is Dirug Samuel Yugoro, I am 28 years old. I come from Adamawa State, Nigeria.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: Tell us about your childhood?
Samuel: I am the youngest boy in a family of six (three boys and three girls). I am very close to my mum because of my undefined health condition. I was born in Mayo Belwa, a small town in Adamawa State, Northeast Nigeria where I had my elementary education (though it wasn’t the best form of education) because I went to a school with thatch classes and sat on brick seat.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What’s your educational background?
Samuel: I had Maraban Jada Primary School and Government Science and Technical College Numan for my primary and secondary school education. In 2013, I secured an admission into Adamawa State Polytechnic Yola where I studied computer science. I am currently pursuing a degree in Information Technology at the National Open University. Learning isn’t over for me yet.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What contribution are you giving to make Nigeria a better place
Samuel: During my industrial training(IT) while at Adamawa State Polytechnic, I served with a company where I learned graphic design, web development and digital printing and was later retained by the company after graduation. I spent two years at the company but I wasn’t fulfilled. I was as if I was losing myself. I resigned and embarked on a journey to find myself and in 2017 it became clear to me that I was born to impact lives. Social entrepreneurship was the way to go. This realization gave birth to Big Family 360 Foundation, a non-governmental organization that provides educational, health and social protection services to women and vulnerable children. I am using my story to inspire young people through mentorship and shared value learning.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What motivated you into doing what you are doing?
Samuel: The motivation is pretty basic; my mother raised me to protect my sisters and it’s the same gesture that I am extending to other women and girls through Big Family 360 Foundation.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What have your achievements been?
Samuel: I didn’t have the best of education but today through Big Family 360 Foundation, we are offering vulnerable children the opportunity to have access to quality education through scholarships. My mum raised six of us but not every woman is equipped with skills for economic sustainability like my mother was and not every woman can access justice when violated or abused. All of these are problems we are solving through Big Family 360 Foundation. Since inception, we have reached over 5000 children with educational support, 300 vulnerable women with entrepreneurial skills and developed the first mobile application that allows people to report rape cases from their smartphones in Nigeria. The app is called SmartRR and can be downloaded on Google Play Store via this link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=smartrr.smartrr
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What has been your challenges since you began your career?
Samuel: As a youth led, non-profit organization, it’s been challenging when it comes resource mobilization with a bit of stereotypes when it comes to trust. And the question has been always, why nonprofit instead of getting a job with a good pay? And I always say, if this is my future why would I wait to live it tomorrow while I can today. It is not easy but we are growing up gradually.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: Could you please share with us one or two experience(s) you have had in the course of your campaign that has/have impacted on you?
Samuel: Being part of the 2019 Obama African Leaders program has been of great impact in my life. Through the program, I have networked with over 200 young leaders across 45 countries in Africa. I learned a lot during my program year and that was my flight, first international trip. The experience was huge coupled with cultural shock yet felt at home.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: Many young people have great ideas but the finances are always a stumbling block, what will your advice be in this regard?
Samuel: My advice is to always start with what you have, people hardly invest in just ideas, the want to see some sort of commitment from the brain child parent. They want to know what you have done without money. Therefore, do what you can and keep doing even without the finance. Its frustrating most times but I think ideas always test our patients and resilience as young people. At some point, people will say your ideas but just keep pushing.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: How have you been able to raise money for your projects?
Samuel: We raised funds through Grants, Fundraising Event and Individual donors.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What do you think has been the major cause of unemployment among youths today and how can we get out of this?
Samuel: Literally, the government should create jobs but since the government has failed in that aspect, they should at least create an enabling ground for start ups to flourish. I think every Nigerian is creative, it is embedded in our DNA but the challenge is the enabling ground to birth these ideas and babies. The government hardly support or even accept ideas that will work for them and create more jobs because of someone’s interest out there.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What would you say is the major role of youths in our national development process?
Samuel: Honestly, I can’t say, I am a young person but working among the elderly is super frustrating because it appears the youths are a threat to the old. The major is to urge young people to keep running their startups until the day the government acknowledges the place of youths as key to national development.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What are your prospects for the next 5- 10?
Samuel: To basically scale up impact across Africa.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: Final words to the Nigerian youth.
Samuel: Let’s keep doing what we are doing and act with the future of Nigeria in Mind.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: Thank you for sharing your story with us and we do pray that many will be inspired as they read.
Samuel: It is my pleasure.
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