History & Mission

Building a Brighter Future Through, Education, Enterprise, and Engagement...

Our History & Mission

The Meeting That Changed Everything
On April 9, 2017, in a quiet suburb of Dallas, Texas, twenty people gathered in the home of a local school teacher. They came from different walks of life, but they shared a heavy burden: they all had a story to tell.
As the evening unfolded, the room grew silent. The stories being shared were gruesome, harrowing, and difficult to hear. They were stories of lost potential, stolen lives, and the desperate lengths to which young people will go to find a better future.

Our Mission: Stop the Journey Before it Starts

We realized that the only way to save these lives was to change the narrative at the source. It was no longer enough to mourn these tragedies; we had to prevent them.
Our goal is simple but urgent: We work to stop at-risk youth before they embark on these deadly journeys by providing them with the tools, resources, and hope they need to thrive in their home communities. We believe that no young person should feel that a cargo ship or a desert crossing is their only path to dignity.

Join the Crusade

We cannot do this alone. Every donation to our cause goes directly toward intervention, education, and community development. By supporting us, you are providing an alternative to the desert, the sea, and the traffickers.
Help us keep these dreams alive on home soil.

The Story of Vernantius

Among the many tragedies shared that day, one stood out—the story of Vernantius.
Vernantius was a bright, pleasant young Igbo man from Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite his intelligence, poverty barred him from higher education. Chasing the dream of the “Western World” he saw in the faces of travelers at his menial jobs, he devised what he thought was a perfect plan.
In December 1995, he stowed away in the freezing belly of a cargo ship with nothing but a bag of garri, sugar, and dried fish. For three weeks, he survived in darkness, only to emerge in the dead of the Canadian winter wearing nothing but a T-shirt. He was caught, deported, and eventually died heartbroken—a victim of a dream that had no map and no safety net.

A Crisis Beyond Borders

The meeting in Dallas revealed that Vernantius was not alone. The group spoke of:

The Desert: Youth dying of thirst or being forced to drink urine to survive the Sahara.
The Sea: Families perishing in capsized boats without life vests.
The Shadows: Innocent people lured by criminal gangs in Asia, only to fall victim to human trafficking and organ harvesting.

Our Causes

Tackling Youth Unemployment And Involvement in Crime in South East and South South Nigeria: The Reality Beyond Statistics
At IPID, we are deeply committed to addressing the urgent challenges facing youth across South East and South South Nigeria. Among these challenges, unemployment, underemployment, and youth flight continue to stand out as critical barriers to personal growth and progress.
According to 2023 the Nigeria Labor Force Su2023, the reported unemployment rates for the South East and South have a spread of 4-11 percentage points.
While these are official government figures, they do not reflect the true reality on the ground. Based on our grassroots work and community insights, we estimate that actual unemployment in these states is well over 50%, with underemployment levels exceeding 80%. Youth Gang activities have direct correlations to these numbers.
Young people, particularly those who are educated, are leaving school only to find a severe lack of opportunities. Many are forced into low-paying, informal jobs or left idle without any means of earning a living. This economic stagnation has a ripple effect on families, communities, and the broader development of the region.
Many in desperate search for opportunities elsewhere end up drowning in Seas and Oceans around the world, as they try to flee from these hardships. Many run into the hands of human traffickers and end up as slaves, sex workers, and victims of human organ harvesters.

Our Focus Is On:

Expanding access to primary healthcare through community health outreach programs.
Improving access to essential medicines by partnering with trusted suppliers.
Advocating for well-equipped medical facilities in underserved areas.
Supporting the training and deployment of healthcare professionals to improve service delivery at the grassroots level.

Good health is a foundation for progress. By investing in healthcare infrastructure and human capacity, we’re working toward a future where everyone, regardless of location, can access the care they need to live an entire and healthy life. We believe that this is a goal we can all work towards and achieve together.

Why This Matters

High unemployment is more than a statistic, meaning lost potential, growing frustration, and a generation at risk of disillusionment. At IPID, we believe that by equipping our youth with practical skills, entrepreneurial training, and a platform for growth, we can turn this challenge into an opportunity.

We believe that positive change begins with informed, engaged, and empowered youth. That’s why our programs focus on:

Education & Career Development: Providing academic guidance, job skills training, and mentorship.
Health & Wellness: Promoting physical and mental well-being through awareness and access.
Leadership & Community Engagement: Encouraging civic participation and social responsibility.

Entrepreneurship & Economic Empowerment: Supporting innovation, small business development, and financial literacy.
We invite partners, sponsors, and community members to join us in this important mission.
Strengthening Healthcare Access in Southeast and South-South Nigeria

Access to reliable, quality healthcare remains a serious challenge across Southeastern and South-South Nigeria. This issue is not just a statistic, but a daily struggle for many communities, particularly in rural areas, who continue to face limited access to primary healthcare services, insufficient medical facilities, and a shortage of trained healthcare professionals.
Despite government efforts to improve the healthcare system, many local clinics and health centers lack basic equipment, essential medicines, and skilled personnel. This results in delayed treatments, preventable complications, and a general decline in health outcomes.
At IPID, we are committed to addressing these challenges by supporting projects that strengthen community health systems.