ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2022
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. Over 31,000 young leaders on 2,400+ campuses across 140+ nations applied to join the Class of 2022. 200+ campuses worldwide (just 8%) were selected to host the 3,000+ Millennium Fellows.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT ABEL KWIDOM BADOU, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2022.
University of Jos | Jos, Nigeria | Advancing SDG 3 & UNAI 9
" Critical thinking and passion drive my work. Being a part of the Millennium Fellowship will help enhance these skills effectively and collaboratively. The skills I gain from Millennium Fellowship will make my social impact on schools and communities especially to become effective and aligned with the UNAI principles and SDGs. I look forward to increase my competence. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: Effects of Poor Environmental Conditions
SENSITIZATION OF COMMUNITIES ON THE IMPACT OF POOR ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS ON HEALTH"
Environment plays a vital role in the healthy development of every individual. One of the major enviromental factors that affect the state of health on an individual is poor sanitation. Poor sanitation increases the risk of one's exposure to infections.
Many people in my community perhaps have limited knowledge and understanding of the impact of poor environmental conditions on their health and livelihood. Poor environmental conditions have in many ways posed existential threats to their lives - the younger ones most especially.Poor sanitation contributes to diarrheal diseases and malnutrition through fecal contamination of food and water. It is known that in poor enviromental conditions, many human infections spread at an exponential rate. Bacteria , viruses, protozoa and parasitic worms cause many diseases that are spread by direct contact with faeces or indirectly via contaminated food and soil. Diseases are also be transmitted through a carrier organism or vector.
For example, mosquitoes carry the protozoa that cause malaria and infect people with the disease through mosquito bites. Poor environmental factor has been a
predisposing factor for malaria in my community as well. One of the major impacts of poor environmental hygiene in my community is Lassa fever, which was once endemic in - Jos North, North-central, Nigeria. Lassa fever is a zoonotic viral disease, transmitted from infected Mastomys rats to humans. Humans usually become infected with the Lassa virus from exposure to urine or faeces of
infected Mastomys rats. Transmission of Lassa virus to humans occurs most commonly through ingestion or inhalation. Mastomys rodents shed this virus in urine and droppings and direct contact with these materials, through touching soiled objects, eating contaminated food, or exposure to open cuts or sores, can lead to infection. Presently, we have diarrheal diseases and malnutrition to battle which is as a result of unhygienic environment. Hence, the importance of hygienic practices, which in a long run reduce the health risks, can not be overemphasized. One of the major ways perfect environmental
conditions can be put in place is by creating awareness in these communities that are mostly affected. People need to be sensitized, to know the impact of environmental conditions on the state of their health, so as to enable them do the needful by keeping their environments clean at all times. My sensitization programme will cut across:
Cleanliness in the home, Cleanliness of compound, Cleanliness of latrine, Presence of bath shelter,Hygiene behaviours, Presence of drying racks for kitchen utensils, Presence of drying line for clothes, Improved nutrition, Safe storage of food, Safe storage of water and Cleanliness of household members.
About the Millennium Fellow
Badou Abel Kwidom is bright, young and globally competitive Medical Laboratory Science student at University of Jos. He was born in Maiduguri, Borno state and is currently studying in Jos, Plateau state Nigeria. Abel has always been passionate about his advocacies for good health and well being. This drive has pushed Abel to participate in many social impact activity which is related to good life and well being and plans to continue in the future. Abel aspires to be in a professional field where he can cultivate these advocacies further and contribute in the development of the United Nations Sustainable Goals.