This book documents 40 powerful stories of transformation among youths in Delta State who participated in the Youths Can Lead project—a flagship leadership and political capacity-building programme implemented by Centre LSD with support from the Ford Foundation between 2017 and 2019.
The project trained 90 youths (50 males and 10 females were directly interviewed for this volume), empowering them to transition from political apathy to active participation, community leadership, and economic self-reliance. As a result:
- 19 youths won elective offices in the 2019 general elections.
- 25 were appointed to political positions, including Special Advisers, Legislative Aides, and Party Executives.
- 22 established businesses ranging from agriculture and fashion to ICT and education.
- Numerous participants formed civic groups, launched political campaigns, and led voter education drives across their communities.
These stories reflect a broad spectrum of impact—from a former job-seeker who built a ₦3 million poultry business, to a physically challenged woman who launched her own school and became a grassroots political leader. The publication illustrates how strategic investment in youth leadership can reverse exclusion, ignite innovation, and create a new generation of community-rooted political actors.
This Book of Stories stands as both testimony and toolkit—a model of what is possible when young people are equipped, encouraged, and empowered to lead.
