NYSC CDS (All Pics/Videos): Lagos Markets (1) as OCI Foundation Volunteer Corps Members (2023 B1 an B2) Promote Anti-Cancer Messages (21/3/24; Lagos, Nigeria)

On Thursday, March 21, 2024, scores of OCI Foundation Volunteer Corps Members (VCMs) with the 2023 Batch B Streas 1 and 2 Cohorts who are currently serving with the NYSC in Lagos State, stormed the Aguda and Census Markets at Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria, for breast and cervical cancer sensitization/awareness campaigns. This is their first outing. A second outing (held on April 20, 2024) involved shopping malls, and details can be found HERE.

The VCMs engaged thousands of market men and women in multiple health sensitisation activities at the event, which was delivered as part of their Community Development Service (CDS) program inspired by the OCI Foundation’s Arm Our Youths (ArOY) Anti-Cancer Health Initiative.

Donning OCI Foundation-branded outfits and materials, the group promoted anti-breast and anti-cervical cancer messages while giving out sanitary pads and other health items.

The ArOY Health Campaign is an OCI Foundation initiative partly delivered in partnership with the NYSC (another part targets youths in all Nigerian senior secondary schools). The then-Nigerian First Lady, Her Excellency Dr Aisha Buhari, flagged off the NYSC-OCI Foundation partnership event in a colourful and star-studded ceremony that was held on February 3, 2022, in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory.

The Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS), the Nigerian First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC), and the Sweet Home Africa Humanitarian Foundation (AHAHF), alongside other groups, are all partnering with the OCI Foundation on the delivery of this Nigerian national project.

The OCI Foundation is an international NGO that promotes Health, Education, and Social/Public Welfare activities among Nigerians.

The Foundation looks forward to supporting more VCMs at individual or group levels in all of Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT in the delivery of the ArOY Health Campaign to their various communities. Any VCM that has ever identified with the OCI Foundation since February 2022, irrespective of the cohort (year and batch of deployment) with the NYSC, can participate, even if such a person is no longer in active NYSC service.

In early 2023, the OCI Foundation introduced the “Personal CDS Challenge” to incentivize VCMs who embark on their CDS activities with the ArOY Campaign Project. To participate in the CDS Challenge and have a chance at thousands in cash giveaways, click here: https://ocifoundation.org/full-details-on-the-personal-cds-challenge-pcc-for-oci-foundations-volunteer-corps-members-vcms-june-2023/.