Freedom Foundation At The INSP Annual Conference 2011
Over 100 delegates from more than 20 countries along with high profile workshop leaders and international 
media gathered in July, 2011, for this year's conference of International Network of Street Papers (INSP) in Glasgow, Scotland. As always, the gathering was an avenue for a diverse group of street paper representatives to participate in specialized skill-building workshops, consultancy sessions and open forums for best-practice exchange.
The 4-day event themed 'The Street Paper Success Story: The Next Chapter'gave Freedom Foundation an excellent opportunity to network with other professionals in the development industry and to showcase the work of the foundation to a diverse audience from around the world.
A cross-section of INSP staff and delegates at the Annual Conference
Freedom Foundation came into partnership with INSP early this year, to set up "The Big Issue Lagos". The Big Issue is a street newspaper published in eight countries; it is written by professional journalists and sold by homeless individuals. The Big Issue is one of the UK's leading social businesses and exists to offer homeless people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income, thereby helping them to reintegrate into mainstream society. It is also the world's most widely circulated street newspaper.
Left - Right: Trevor Howards, UK-based Trustee of Freedom Foundation, Great Britain, John Bird & Wife, Founder, INSP, Tenidola Awoyemi , Executive Director, Freedom Foundation, Nigeria, Sven Mangels , Regional Coordinator, INSP.
Representing Freedom Foundation at the Conference, Mrs. Tenidola Awoyemi, the Foundation's Executive Director gave a presentation on the activities of the Foundation on the streets of Lagos, issues of homelessness and drug abuse in Lagos and how the Big Issue project fits in with the work of Freedom Foundation. Speaking on Freedom Foundation's presence at the 2011 INSP conference, Tenidola Awoyemi noted that being involved in the Big Issue project is a big plus for Freedom Foundation as the Big Issue is a brand that is well known and positively viewed in the UK, Europe and the USA.
"The Big Issue is already popular for its dealings with issues of homelessness, empowerment, poverty, drug abuse and other related issues. Partnering with such an established organization as INSP/Big Issue, will lend a great deal of credibility to the Foundation in the international development scene." She said.
Amongst other activities that took place during the conference were the bi-annual International Street Paper Awards and a special photography project titled 'Eyes of the Street".
