World Health Day: IYERC inmates celebrates

In commemoration of the World Health Organization’s
‘World Health Day’ April 7, 2017, the management of
International Youth Empowerment and Rehabilitation
Centre, (IYERC) Maryland Egoro Amede Ekpoma in Edo
State organised a two day show, April 6 – 7, for the
inmates.

From left: Rev. Fr. John Damian Adizie, His Excellency,
Mr. Paul Lehmann, Australian High Commissioner to
Nigeria, Ezinne Charity Onuoha during the handing over
of hostel block built by Australian govt.


The youth empowerment home that takes care of the
mentally sick youths in life transforming activities, such
as prayer, reading, sports, recreation, creative exercises
and manual labour engaged the inmates in a mental
relieving exercise to mark and to reflect this year’s WHD
theme: “Depression: let’s talk”.
Speaking at the event, the Spiritual Director of IYERC
home, Rev. Fr. John Damian Adizie stated that the best
solution to the problem of insecurity, unemployment and
insurgency is youth rehabilitation and empowerment. He
also disclosed that so masny young people brought to
the camp have regained their health and are reintegrated
back to the society through this rehabilitation centre,
while calling on government to come to the aid of
Nigerian youths who are leaders of tomorrow.
“In Nigeria today, many people are depressed for so
many reasons. Most families can barely feed well.
Youths are badly depressed due to unemployment,
economic recession and poverty in the land. There are
also cases of insurgency, kidnapping and communal
clashes. A good number of youths are trooping out of the
country with most of them ending up in refugee camps
and prisons. All these lead to unforeseen depression that
kills faster that cancer.
“I believe it is not just enough to talk about depression
without taking steps to cushion the effect.
Something has to be done fast. Government has a major
role to play being that the state of the economy is in bad
shape and the youths need job to have sense of
belonging in the society.” Fr. Adizie said.
He also stated that in view of addressing the current
problem of depression in the land, the International
Youth Rehabilitation Centre,(IYERC) Maryland Egoro
Amede Ekpoma in Edo State, has created a platform
where depressed person’s can freely express
themselves and their talents through debate, success
stories, recreation and other forms of entertainments.
According to him; “The Int’l Youth Empowerment and
Rehabilitation Centre is a home that provides medical,
spiritual, psychological and other necessary support to
young people who are facing depression due to
unemployment, poverty and other existential issues in
our country. The home has also attracted a good number
of tourists and some medical students of higher
institutions in the country who visit the home to interact
with the wonderfully transformed youths.”