The Eleven Eleven Twelve Foundation has concluded a three-day boot camp for young entrepreneurs in the environment sector.
A winner among the participants in the boot camp will get a grant of N1 million and access mentorship among other benefits from the foundation.
The three-day boot camp which took place at Ilaji Hotels and Resorts between Tuesday and Thursday had in attendance 10 entrepreneurs that are proffering solutions to environmental problems.
Facilitators for the three-day boot camp were drawn from the entrepreneurship world, climate and environment, as well as leadership and law sector to equip and furnish the participants with the necessary knowledge that would make them succeed in their environment and entrepreneurial voyage.
In his address, the founder of the foundation, Adetunji Lam-Adesina disclosed that the foundation is founded on the premise of helping the environment and solving some social-economic issues, which include unemployment and addressing the issue of indiscriminate dumping of refuse, as well as other environmental issues that are hazardous to mankind.
“The foundation was founded in 2018 out of my passion to address environmental issues and create my own quota to the course of humanity.
“What motivated me into organising this boot camp was borne out my tenacity to give back to the society and that is why I have deemed it fit to look out and empower entrepreneurs that are into environment sector and will use the grant to champion the course,” he said.
While facilitating a lecture at the boot camp, the Managing Director, PEFTI film institute, Abiola Adenuga, charged the participants to ensure they have a business plan for them to be able to track and make sensible plans for their business.
“Business plans save entrepreneurs from unforeseen mistakes, it helps them manage and plan how to tackle any issue that may arise in the course of setting or managing their businesses and that is why it is important you all have a business plan for your business,” she said.
Another facilitator at the boot camp, Barrister Kayode Akinsola, advised the participants to make integrity and honesty their watchword, so as for them to go far and achieve the desired goals in their career.
While appreciating the organisers for their efforts in making the boot camp a successful and eye-opening one to behold, one of the participants, Osomobegbe Eughene of Osomobegbe Global Ventures (OGV) said the boot camp has been a blessing to him and that the knowledge and connection he made during the course of the boot camp will forever be useful for him
“I must confess that this boot camp has been an eye-opening one for me, as I have been able to make new friends and as well get exposed to some knowledge that would forever be helpful to me in my entrepreneurial career,” he said.
Another participant, Yetunde Fadeyi, the founder of REESAfrica noted that boot camp was an insightful one, which had enabled him the opportunity of learning new things.
“This boot camp, being one of its kind has been a very insightful one to me, I have been able not just learn but also unlearn and relearn newer approaches to address environmental and entrepreneurial issues,” she said.
The highlight of the boot camp was the story pitching segment by the participants before a three-man panel of judges, where the participants presented their story ideas and discussed the need for them to be awarded the N1 million green grant.
The team leader of the Eleven Eleven Twelve foundation, Damilola Oladiipo, disclosed that the winner of the N1 million grant will be announced later in November, when the foundation will be fully launched.
“We received over a hundred applications for the boot camp and they were all screened before we settled for 11 selected participants and unfortunately one of them couldn’t make it to the programme, and that is why we have just 10 people at the bootcamp,” Oladipupo said.