aBOUT US
Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) INC. is a duly registered non-governmental and non-for-profit organisation.
Learn about us
Although we have been involved in social engineering since the early 90s, working mostly with street people, Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) was only incorporated in October 2020 in accordance with the requirements of the Corporate Affairs Commission when the need to expand and create better impact became evident.
Our projects
We are basically a community of people engaged in agriculture and its various value chain.
CALICIF is engaged in securing short term and long term grants to drive our various agric projects. The short term grant runs for six months while long term grant be from one year to three years. The short term grant is for state projects. To qualify, a state must have at least 400 units to be able to participate.
Presently, we have secured a short term grant for state project.
With these grants we are confident that we will create a community of happily productive people.
Our Vision
The Candle City Light Foundation envisions a world where every individual has the opportunity to realize their full potential, irrespective of their background or circumstances. Through our multifaceted approach, we aim to create a lasting impact on lives, fostering a society where the flame of hope is never extinguished.
Our Mission
The Candle City Light Foundation is dedicated to illuminating the path towards a brighter future for individuals and communities facing adversity, rooted in compassion, our mission is to bring warmth, hope, and positive change through initiatives that foster education, healthcare, and social well-being.
Core Values
COMPASSION: At the heart of our foundation is a deep sense of compassion for those experiencing challenges. We believe in extending a helping hand to individuals and communities in need, understanding that empathy is the catalyst for transformative change.
EDUCATION EMPOWERMENT: We are committed to empowering minds through education. By providing access to quality education, scholarships, and educational resources, we aim to equip individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to break the cycle of poverty and create a brighter future.
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: The Candle City Light Foundation is dedicated to promoting health and well-being for all, through strategic partnerships and initiatives, we strive to enhance access to healthcare services, promote preventive care, and address health disparities, ensuring that individuals can lead fulfilling and healthy lives.
COMMUNITY RESILENCE: We believe in building resilient communities that can withstand and overcome challenges by fostering community engagement, promoting sustainable development, and providing resources for self-sufficiency, we aim to empower communities to thrive in the face of adversity.
INCLUSIVITY: The Candle Light City Foundation values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to creating programs and initiatives that embrace and celebrate the unique strengths and contributions of individuals from all walks of life.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP: Recognizing the interconnectedness of humanity and the environment, we are dedicated to environmentally sustainable practices.
Our foundation seeks to contribute to a healthier planet by promoting eco-friendly initiatives and raising awareness about environmental issues.
STRATEGIC PLAN OF ACTION FOR CANDLE LIGHT CITY FOUNDATION FROM 2022-2030
Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) is indebted to several partners and all
our staffs who have contributed immensely to the success recorded so far
within the short space of time.
We specially appreciate Robert Mwesigye, President of Rejoice Africa, our
partner and social consultant from Uganda for the encouragement and advice
towards the progress made so far by Candle Light City Foundation.
Our profound gratitude goes to Derick Njimanju (PHD agronomy) based in the
United Kingdom, our General adviser on administrative matters including
Agriculture for his invaluable contribution.
Our special thanks also goes to Asongwe Immaculate, she has been a pillar of
support to the growth of this Organisation.
Lastly, but not the least, our many thanks goes to Barrister don Akaegbu(Legal
adviser), Adeyemi David(Company accountant) and Blessing Idodo (Project
Manager) for their timely effort to the growth of Candle Light City Foundation.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Since the 19th century, there has been global need for empowerment especially in the third world country where majority of its citizens live in abject poverty. This has necessitated several programs by the United Nations to try and eradicate poverty and promote economic prosperity and enhance the dignity of citizens in third world country especially Africa. Empowerment programs are very significant particularly after the heat of the Covid-19 virus which has caused high inflation and cripple many economies across nations of the world.
In the light of this, there has been coordinated effort of several NGO’s across nations of the world towards empowerment, promotion of economic prosperity, and eradication of poverty among nations and citizens of the world.
Consequently, it is on this basis, the Candle Light City foundation (CALICIF) was established. Our major goal is to render service to humanity by empowering citizens towards eradication of poverty globally.
Our primary objective is to empower people based on these two frontiers: Agricultural development and Business and Entrepreneurship development. Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) objective is to train 36,000 Nigerian youth in agricultural development across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
Also, Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) aim is to also provide empowerment through Business and Entrepreneurship development. Our objective here is to empower 7,000,000 people across the 36 states of Nigeria.
The cost of the Agricultural empowerment program is $93,195,931.5 and the cost of the business and entrepreneurship empowerment program is $15,997,716,895 giving a total cost of $16,090,912,826.5
Candle Light City Foundation kindly request for a grant of $16,090,912,826.5 so as to be able to achieve this vision. We will be most grateful and excited if our request is granted.
ABOUT CANDLE LIGHT CITY FOUNDATION
Candle Light City foundation (CALICIF) INC is a duly registered nongovernmental non for-profit Organisation which was fully registered in October 2020. Candle Light City Foundation has a developmental concept to light up communities through actions that enhance Human security and right, eradicate poverty through coordinated poverty alleviation programs and promote community development.
VISION: Our Vision is to empower the less privilege in their desired field of endeavor so as to become self-employed and independent thereby eradicating poverty and creating employment.
MISSION: Our Mission is to create a society where potentials, skills, talents and gifting are identified, developed and projected for the benefit and wellbeing of man-kind globally.
CORE VALUES: Compassion: At the heart of our foundation is a deep sense of compassion for those experiencing challenges. We believe in extending a helping hand to individuals and communities in need, understanding that empathy is the catalyst for transformative change.
MILESTONES:
Since the formation of CALICIF, two years ago, we have empowered over 1,000 youth in skill acquisition and entrepreneurship. It has brought peace among several communities across the country through job creation.
The NGO has also built capacity to enhance staff efficiency, which aligns with its commitment towards capacity building as an organizational strategy to improve overall productivity, motivate staff to deliver high quality service and create an environment and system committed to continuous improvement and innovation.
CALICIF was able to achieve the above through strategic partnership, networking, team building, training and capacity building advocacy.
CANDLE LIGHT CITY FOUNDATION EMPOWERMENT FRAMEWORK
Since the 19th century, there has been global need for empowerment especially in the third world country where majority of its citizens live in abject poverty. This has necessitated several programs by the United Nations to try and eradicate poverty and promote economic prosperity and enhance the dignity of citizens in third world countries especially Africa.
Consequently, it is on this basis, the Candle Light City foundation (CALICIF) was established. Our major goal is to render service to humanity by empowering citizens towards eradication of poverty globally. Our primary objective is to empower people based on these two frontiers:
- Agricultural development
- Business and Entrepreneurship development
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) objective is to train 36,000 Nigerian youth across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The strategy is to provide employment, empowerment and entrepreneurship to 36,000 teaming youth in the agricultural sector in each state categorized by geopolitical zones.
This will be achieved with the collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture with their role involving land allocation and the necessary incentive to boost the agricultural sector, since the government posture is tilted towards diversifying the economy. It will also involve the establishment of crop farming and animal husbandry for local farmers in every state across the six geopolitical zones. Also, Candle Light City foundation (CALICIF) plan to get youths involved in carrying out sensitization on climate change in all 36 states of Nigeria
Consequently, the benefits of this project will be enormous because it will reduce youth restiveness by engaging them productively, providing employment and boosting food production.
BUSINESS AND ENTERPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) aim is to also provide empowerment through Business and Entrepreneurship development. Our objective here is to empower 7,000,000 people across the 36 states of Nigeria. Our strategy is to partner with existing NGO’s and leveraging on their network to get this empowerment down to the grass-root across Nigeria.
SITUATION ANALYSIS
THE NEED FOR EMPOWERMENT THROUGH AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
Over the last 7 years, there has been high rise in prices of major foods in Nigeria ranging from garri, rice, beans e.t.c, with the price of a bag of rice rising from ₦ 10,000 in 2014 to over ₦42,000 as at October 2022. Also, the price of a bag of garri has risen from ₦3,500 in 2014 to over ₦21,000 as at October 2022. This has inevitably brought untold hardship and high
inflation rate to Nigerians with increased poverty level.
Consequently, there is need for massive investment and empowerment in the agricultural sector, so as to boost food production, reducing food prices and hence generating employment.
On the other hand, climate change and global warming due to emission of greenhouse gases has also dealt a huge blow to agricultural sector as it has has resulted in devastating effect on food production across board which is largely due to extreme climate events such as flooding, extreme heat and drought; this has led to soil degradation, hence resulting in low crop yield. This can be seen in the latest flood incident which has destroyed 70,566 hectares of farmland. Decline in agricultural productivity discourages farmers and will definitely affect livelihood negatively due to high prices of food.
In the light of this, there is need for sustainable agriculture to meet the increased price and high demand for food for the growing population in Nigeria. In order to ensure food security, we need to understand the climate change around us and how it affects agricultural productivity and rural livelihood. This can be achieved by carrying out massive sensitization on the effect of climate change on agricultural produce and how to remedy it, invariably; this sensitization will help the Nigerian government and the international community in fighting the effect of climate changes and its effect on food production.
THE NEED FOR EMPOWERMENT THROUGH BUSINESS AND ENTERPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT
In recent times, statistics by the industrial training fund, an agency of the Federal government of Nigeria has shown that the rates of unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria are on a daily increase. With over 33 percent unemployment rate and another close to 20 percent under-employment rate we know that there is a looming time bomb which must be addressed; otherwise the Nigeria nation is heading for a serious economic and social crisis.
Consequently, to address this inevitable pending crisis, there is need to develop and grow small medium enterprises (SMES), which is the largest job creator in any clime, and then change the economy for good.
In order to be able to cut down drastically the unemployment rate and the under-employment rate, we must develop and grow the small medium enterprises (SMES) sector by empowerment of the citizens through business and entrepreneurship development. This empowerment model is crucial and important to the Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) plan.
Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) plan to empower 7,000,000 people across the 36 states of Nigeria, hence creating at least 21 million extra job, assuming one person creates at least 3 more jobs as a result of employing 3 more people.
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CANDLE LIGHT EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
The Agricultural development empowerment program will take place acrossthe six geopolitical zones. The objective is to empower 36,000 youth, that is 6000 youths per geopolitical zone and it will span from 2022 to 2032. The table below shows the arrangement of the agricultural empowerment program.
Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) will organize training for all the 36,000 youth on different farming of different agricultural crop, animal husbandry and livestock farming, with coordination by the NGO’s. This will be carried in each state across the six geopolitical zones.
The training will be carried out based on the peculiarity of the crop, livestock and animal husbandry in each geopolitical zone.
Also, a grant of 1,000,000 each will be given to each of the trainee to start their own agricultural project based on their interest. The NGO’s (70 in number) will
be empowered with 50,000,000 each to start their own agricultural project.
Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) will require ₦ 200,000,000 as running cost for the 2 years to carry out the project.
BUSINESS AND ENTERPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The objective of the business and entrepreneurship development empowerment program is to empower 7,000,000 beneficiaries across every state in Nigeria; this will be in partnership with 70 NGO’s across the 36 state of
the nation. Each NGO will have 100 cluster units with 1000 members per cluster unit.
Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) will organize extensive training on business and entrepreneurship development for the NGO’s, and the NGO’s will train the cluster heads, and the cluster heads will train the members.
Consequently, each NGO will get ₦ 50,000,000 each, each cluster head will get ₦30,000,000 each and each beneficiary will get ₦ 1,000,000.
In addition, Candle Light City Foundation (CALICIF) will require 500,000,000 as running cost to implement the business and entrepreneurship development empowerment program.
FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS
The financial projection for the agricultural development empowerment project starts with the logistic cost for training. The tables below shows the logistic cost for the training across the six geopolitical zones.
The table below shows the total cost of the agricultural development empowerment project.
BUSINESS AND ENTERPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The financial projection for the business and entrepreneurship development is as shown below:
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
TOTAL COST OF EMPOWERMENT PROJECT
= $93,195,931.5 + $15,997,716,895 = $16,090,912,826.5