Nigerian-based African-focused Under35CEO, a top business and entrepreneurial blog for young/aspiring entrepreneurs has launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise $7,000 to empower youth in Nigeria and Africa at large.
Set to begin with over 60 teenagers in the first quarter of this year, in 3 states in Nigeria [Osun, Ibadan and Lagos state], in Nigeria, the team aims to raise the funds to cover the cost of programing, traveling expenses, training kits, website design/hosting, venues, accommodation and many more.
Yinka Brand, the Editor and Co-founder of Under35CEO, said the project dubbed Empower-A-Teen [EAT], a social development project aims at empowering teenagers in Nigeria and Africa as they determine the future of Africa.
EAT will empower the teenagers via skill acquisitions, scholarship, talent, leadership and entrepreneurial development programmes.
“More than half of the entire world’s population is under 25-years-old and …“In a few years, 1 out of every 4 under25-years-olds will be in Africa.” By this, we see a big need to empower the African teens starting from Nigeria”, says Yinka. ”We believe they are the change Africa seeks and we are committed to empowering them.”
The project has Programmes such as After School Skill Aquisition Programme (ASSAP)- ASSAP for skill acquisition and training in areas like programming,Interior designing, shoe-making, photography,fashion designing & tailoring, carpentary & woodwork, bead & jewellery making, bakery, make-up, among others.
It also has LaunchIT- a one-day programme that helps aspiring teen entrepreneurs turn their passions and ideas into viable businesses with paying customers, Entrepreneurship is Cool programme which brings Nigeria’s top young entrepreneurs to secondary schools to inspire and help them launch their dream business during a half-day, one of its kind conference.
Others include School-leavers Apprenticeship Programme (SAPP), SHINE -a one year talent development/internship programme for secondary school graduates that would give them the opportunity to learn the art and science of making of making successful web products, LEAD- is a leadership development program for teenagers designed to inspire and challenge them to develop their leadership competences. There will also be LEAD annual all Africa teen conference. And a scholarship.
He says the programmes aims to make African teens productive and responsible members of society, be elf-reliant, acquire working experience, skills and help them achieve their personal goals, empower an African teen who will in turn who empower other teenagers and commit to Africa’s advancement and reduce unemployment, hunger and eradicate abject poverty in Africa.
