Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation has partnered with Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) to unveil the “My Company My Region” initiative which is aimed at inspiring entrepreneurship spirit among youths as well as to solve the unemployment quagmire in the country.
Simi Nwogugu, Executive Director, JAN, stated that the initiative is to inspire entrepreneurship among youths as a means to social problem-solving, as well as a sustainable solution to Nigeria’s unemployment quagmire,
She added that the initiative is targeted at Nigerian school children in JSS2 and JSS3, noting that the program is aimed at aiding students to explore entrepreneurial opportunities in their regions by educating them on how to convert opportunities into successful businesses.
Nwogugu revealed that the partnership which is geared towards grooming young entrepreneurs was birthed as a result of the alarming dropout rate of students between Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria.
This she said necessitated the need to positively impact the educational experience of young students and to create innovative young entrepreneurs.
The Executive Director expressed delight in the level of support offered by ACT Foundation for the purpose of creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurial growth, as well as the critical role played by the grant makers in the development of entrepreneurs.
“We are really excited about receiving this grant from ACT Foundation.
“They have always come to our entrepreneurial programs for school children at the senior secondary level in the Southwest, and together we decided on a tailored preparatory program for the junior secondary students in the region” she said.
Osayi Alilere, CEO, ACT Foundation stated that the grant maker’s commitment to growing partnerships for accelerated entrepreneurial development.
“This is our second partnership with Junior Achievement Nigeria because we believe that they are credible and innovative enough to impact the youth entrepreneurship and financial literacy space in Nigeria.
“This partnership develops an original program targeted specifically towards junior secondary schools in the Southwest because we believe that the Junior Achievement Worldwide expertise combined with relevant local content will develop world class entrepreneurs who can create innovative businesses that solve problems and generate wealth within their communities.
“ACT Foundation will remain dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship among Nigerian youth” Ms.Alile reassured.
This program will be first taught in schools across Lagos and Ogun States, reaching 2000 students in the 2018/2019 academic year with a goal to expand throughout the Southwest region.
Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation is one of Africa’s leading grant makers dedicated to making impact by leveraging strategic partnerships to create a sustainable future for African youths.
Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) is part of Junior Achievement Worldwide (JAWW), the world’s largest and fastest growing nonprofit economic education organization with a 120-country network dedicated to preparing young people for a successful future.
Since inception in 1999, JAN has reached over 880,000 students in over 20,000 classrooms in over 30 locations across the country through over 2000 volunteers.
As a two-time grantee of ACT Foundation, JAN has successfully empowered young innovative youth in communities within Southwest Nigeria.