The Executive Director of Junior Achievement (JA) Nigeria, Foluso Gbadamosi, said that with innovative skills and programmes, the voices and works of young people can make the transition to a climate-friendly future possible.
Gbadamosi recently made this known in Lagos during the second edition of the National Innovation Challenge on Young Voices for a Sustainable Future aimed at empowering secondary school students with the skills needed to address climate issues.
The National Innovation Challenge was implemented by BASF − a global chemical company − in partnership with Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide and JA Nigeria.
The organisers noted that the programme was designed to empower young people aged 15 – 20 with the skills they need to solve climate-related issues in their communities.
After a rigorous workshop, consisting of a hundred students, nine teams were selected for the competition from nine states in the country: Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Plateau, Enugu, Oyo, Lagos, and Ogun, including Abuja.
Gbadamosi stated that JA Nigeria empowers students with practical skills in financial literacy, work readiness, digital literacy and entrepreneurship.
She said that their partnership with BASF in implementing the National Innovation Challenge has created a platform that amplifies the voices, ideas, and solutions of young people all around the world.
The Manager, Senior Project Sustainability, BASF, Dr Akintayo Adisa, said they are ready to support programmes that encourage young people to adopt innovative means of problem-solving.
He stated that with the many challenges facing Nigeria, the culture of innovation in schools must be encouraged, supported, and sustained.
“Problems should be seen as opportunities to innovate and create value for society through the development of sustainable solutions,” he said.
Dr Akintayo Adisa; Boluwatito Aiyepola, Circular Economy Specialist, BASF West Africa; and Israel Okeyinka, Creative Director, Exousia Repurpose judged the works of the students.
The team, Eco-Life Company, from Government Secondary School Elkehia, Rivers won the contest with their products: a filtron and a fishing basket.
Team Eco-Life Company said the filtron is a device fixed on drainages to stop wastes and plastics from blocking them, thereby preventing flooding. They added that the fishing basket, a colourful and long-lasting fishing net, was made from plastics.
Onuka Juliet Osonwa, of the Eco-Life Company team, charged schools to work towards climate and environment solutions.
Eco-Life Company will be representing Nigeria at the Virtual Global Exchange Programme where they will engage with their peers from around the world to exchange ideas, insights, and collaborative efforts aimed at addressing the urgent challenges posed by climate change.
Nifemi Adedapo, from Government Secondary School Lugbe, Abuja, said her product tackles greenhouse gas emissions. She urged future participants of the National Innovation Challenge to leverage the skills and knowledge they will acquire from the programme to make the environment and society safe.
Emmanuella Nwabueze Chidera from Frenardo School, Kaduna, said the programme has given her confidence and skills to contribute to the development of her community.
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