Project Update: YEC-Academy Enters Week 2 with Photography, Shoemaking Training

YEC-Academy, the vocational training and internship program established by CYFI's Vocational Training team, enters its second week this weekend.  Following its opening ceremony on August 17, the Ibadan-based academy has continued, offering lectures and hands-on training in subjects like photography, cinematography and shoemaking.

Students of the YEC-Academy observe a shoemaking practical session.

The team writes: "We believe that the journey of a thousand miles begins not just with a step in any direction, but rather with a right step taken towards a right direction. After several months and weeks of planning and
strategizing, the YEC-Academy was finally unveiled. .. The photography/film-making and shoemaking training commenced on Friday, August 24 at the Ibadan North-West Local Government premises with a total number of forty-seven students (out of the fifty-seven selected students), three volunteers and a representative from the local government were in attendance. All the students present had high expectations about what YEC-Academy has to offer them, so they came prepared with an open mind and writing
materials. A brief opening was done by CYFI Vocational Training fellow Ebenezer Akinrinade to better prepare the students for the task ahead and also to introduce the YEC-Academy team and other volunteers present. Shoe-making class was anchored by CYFI Vocational Training fellow Obinna Echendu and assisted by Mr. James Onyebuchi (OJamesFootWears), while the photography class was anchored by Mr. Oladipo O’Fresh and assisted by Mr. Oloyede Abiodun (both from FreshProNig). Ebenezer Akinrinade monitored the two sessions and also took pictures. Facilitators were able to connect with the students which was evident from the number of questions asked during the sessions. Students in the shoemaking section had fun learning about shoe-making equipments with a practical demonstration on how to make palm-slippers. The session lasted for five hours."

We wish YEC-Academy the best as they enter their second week!

YEC-Academy photography students will later have the opportunity to intern with professionals.

YEC-Academy enters its second week.

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Project Update: Health Team Conducts Malaria Education Initiative

The CYFI Health Team spoke with youth in Ilaje as part of their malaria outreach program.

The CYFI Health Team continued their health empowerment initiative in the Ilaje community with a day-long effort to educate residents about malaria held on Saturday, August 25. Joined by 20 volunteers recruited from various NGOs (including the LiveWell Initiative, ACT, and HACEY's) and from the medical community, the team began the day, which was also Environmental Saturday in Lagos state, by leading the residents in cleaning the community's rain gutters.  After a meeting and training with their volunteers, the fellows and volunteers went out into the community, going door-to-door to educate residents about malaria prevention. They distributed flyers, written in English and Yoruba, and spoke with residents about the importance of keeping one's environment clean, staying inside during evening hours, using mosquito nets, and other steps one can take to prevent malaria. One man they spoke to listened with interest and told the fellows that his wife was currently hospitalized with malaria. Other residents, the children especially, were eager to take the team's flyers and receptive to their message.
The CYFI Health Team plans to continue their malaria awareness initiative by distributing mosquito nets to the community next month.

The team's malaria outreach program will feature a distribution of free mosquito nets next month.

A CYFI fellow speaks with children about malaria prevention.

The CYFI Health Team recruited 20 volunteers from local NGOs.

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Project Update: Build A Village Advances Fishery Plan, Partners with Government

Build A Village seeks to turn fish into financial freedom for the women of Ilaje.

Build A Village, the project of CYFI's University Outreach team, has conducted several meetings, community outreach activities, and needs assessments over the past few weeks, as part of their efforts to economically empower the women fishing community of Ilaje, Lagos.

With the assistance of the Director of Fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture, the team is working to run and train the women to use an under-utilized fish-smoking facility in the area. This, along with a fish packaging unit that the team hopes to establish, will help the women to better process and market the fish they sell, thus increasing their profits. The Build A Village team, which consists of the CYFI fellows and volunteers recruited from University of Lagos, has also been meeting with women in the community to assess their needs and interests. In the coming weeks, the team hopes to finalize a logo, to be used with the packaging and marketing of the fish.

"She'd have made more profit, if only she knew how." - caption written by CYFI University Outreach fellow

A CYFI University Outreach fellow speaks with a community member.

The University Outreach team has spent the past several weeks connecting with the Ilaje fishing community.

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Project Update: YEC-Academy Selects Participants, Holds Opening Ceremony

Over 100 applicants attended interviews to be a part of YEC-Academy.

The Youth Entrepreneurship and Creative Academy (YECA), the skills and training program designed by CYFI's Vocational Training team, concluded the application and interview process and held an opening ceremony on August 17 in Ibadan. The selected participants and trainers in the program attended the event, along with representative from the local government, including Mr. Olaniyi Emmanuel (ICT Director for Ibadan North-West Local Government, Onireke Dugbe) who represented Chairman Wasiu Olatunbosun.

A CYFI Vocational Training fellow speaks to trainees at the opening ceremony of YEC-Academy.

The Vocation Training team writes: " We are delighted to announce to you that YEC-Academy is fast making progress in Ibadan, Oyo State. On August 9, more than a hundred prospective candidates were interviewed by the YEC-Academy team at the ICT/ Vocational Training Centre in Onireke Dugbe."

A CYFI team member interviews a prospective YECA trainee.

Keep posted for updates as the team's trainings get underway!

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Be a Mentor with the Education Team!

CYFI's Education Team is looking for young professionals to mentor high school students during the upcoming phase of their project. The Education Team will train all mentors. Please see the application and details (click the link: ).

Deadline: September 15
Questions? Email the CYFI Education Team at [email protected]

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Project Update: University Outreach begins to Build A Village

CYFI's University Outreach team is well on their way to the successful implementation of their project, Build a Village, which seeks to empower the female fishing community of Ilaje by helping them to brand and market their product.
The team writes in: " 5 months down the line; the University Outreach team has completed 5 of our 14 scheduled tasks. For a quick recap, itemized below are the tasks:

§ Pre-test Analysis/Need Assessment and Project Proposal Drafting

§ Project Web Publicity - the creation of the team's Facebook page

§ Meeting with Stakeholders on existing Fish Smoking Facility

§ Recruitment of Student Volunteers

§ Brand Creation"

The team's efforts have included the recruitment of 20 student volunteers from 8 different departments at the University of Lagos, as well as connecting with the Lagos State Director of Fisheries to discuss how an existing fish smoking facility in Ilaje can be used for the project.

Most excitingly, however, the team has created a brand for the fish: " At Lagoon Front Garden in UNILAG, on July 27, our team had the brand creation brainstorming event. The product of the event is the proposed Ilaje fish brand.

Details of the conceived brand are:

Name: LagFish

Catch phrase: ….savour the taste!

Brand colour: Green, Aqua blue, and Brown

Stay tuned for more updates as Build a Village enter the next stage!

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Call for Volunteers - Malaria Outreach Forum

The CYFI Health Team plans to host a Malaria Outreach program for the women of the Ilaje community on Saturday, August 25, and they are seeking volunteers.  To join the Health Team in their efforts, click .

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