A non-profit organisation, Leap Africa committed to developing dynamic innovative and principled Africans has rewarded a group of social innovators for implementing initiatives that have transformed their communities and contributing to national development.
At its social innovators programme and awards 2016 held in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, the organization also unveiled its 2015/2016 fellows as well as the new participants in the scheme.
Three of the fellows who distinguished themselves during the year-long training programme also received a cash price of N1 million each to boost their entrepreneurship scheme.
Among those who received the cash price were Olarewaju Adeloye who through his initiative provides expectant and new mothers with access to fast, quality and affordable healthcare, Imrana Buba for providing education for out of school children affected by insecurity and insurgence in Borno and Yobe States and Nkem Okocha for providing funding with minimal interest to disadvantaged women.
Speaking, Udeme Ufot, co founder of the group said the organisation has “pioneered leadership initiatives that have impacted youth and entrepreneurs throughout Nigeria inspiring them to initiate lasting and positive changes across a wide range of sectors.” .
According to him, since 2013, LEAP has annually hosted the awards ceremony to celebrate youth social entrepreneurs across Nigeria and induct a new class into the one year fellowship adding that “till date 125 change makers have been recognised on this platform.”
He said LEAP Africa has impacted over 1, 000 graduates, secondary school students and teachers adding that its Business Leadership Programme has been offered in Akwa Ibom to entrepreneurs in order to “institute systems and structures in their businesses to thrive for generations.”
Ufot thanked Union Bank and the Akwa Ibom State Government for supporting the programme and expressed delight that as it is hosted in Uyo it would showcase the dynamic youth and their potentials.
In his speech, Governor Udom Emmanuel expressed readiness to partner with the organization to integrate youths in the area of social entrepreneurship which he said holds “monumental promises for a state such as ours.’’
Udom who was represented by the deputy governor, Moses Ekpo said the state government’s interventionist programme, Akwa Ibom Enterprise and Employment Scheme (AKEES) has a mandate to provide strategic solutions aimed at reducing youth employment by 50 percent in the next five describing the scheme as a success story.
He said over 11,598 young people had signed on to the programme while 1,013 of them have so far secured profitable employment while 85 small scale business have emerged.
“AKEES has a commenced a one-month training programme in Information and Communication Technology for 2000 Akwa Ibom youths for specialization in the areas of engineering software development, programming and web development.’’
He praised the scheme for being timely and necessary saying it places high premium on capacity building towards solving the problems of the rural dwellers who are the lowest rung of the national poverty statistics adding that it could not have come at a better time than now.
In her remarks, one of the fellows, Edema Tobore thanked the organisation for equipping them with the skills and resources.
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