Every little helps.
Last month, October 16th was the World Food day and with 9% of world population hungry and 9 million people dying from hunger in 2019 alone, that is a big deal. To raise awareness of this, I requested partners of the UK funded Lancaster University Recirculate Project to send pictures of their meals which they did. We had over 50 meals from 12 African countries. See pictures for the collage.
Last week November 19th was a special day as it was the International Men's Day. But that date was something else. It was also the UN World Toilet Day. With about 2.5 billion people lacking improved health and sanitation and 100,000 children die every year due to poor water and sanitation, this is a big deal. To raise awareness about this, I requested different African partners to post a picture of themselves with a toilet roll with the inscription #WorldToiletDay @Recirculaters and they did. See pictures for the collage.
Most of the time it's not so much about the big things but the small things you do. Are you creating awareness, giving guidance, supporting a cause, lending a hand?
'Cos in a world with so much challenges, Every little helps!!!!
@unitednations @unesco @recirculaters #leadership #people #water @abigail_ikwue @lancaster_environment
Going back to Bonny.
Bonny Island is the hub of energy in Nigeria and host to the world largest oil and gas firms including Royal Dutch Shell, Mobil, Chevron, Agip, and Elf. It is also host to the multi-billion dollar project Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG).
A few years ago I was contracted by NLNG to help in the growth strategy for the Bonny Vocational Centre, a City&Guilds accredited vocational training centre. The centre has since flourished.
Recently, the DG of the Bonny Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mining and Agriculture, the incredible Constance Nwokejiobi contacted me and I delivered a lecture to all its SMEs on 'Business resilience beyond the island'.
I was featured on the Business Day newspaper and a reporter captured my talk properly - read here - http://silvernewsng.com/uk-based-expert-leads-bonny-chamber-of-commerce-in-treasure-hunt/
Now we are working on a multiple partnership programme to enhance the sustainability of Bonny Island beyond its dependence on just oil and gas. It is a bold strategy aligned with the UN SDGs. If the impact of COVID has taught us anything, it is the need for African states to diversify from a natural resource only to a knowledge-based economy. Our best assets are our people!!
What are you doing to remain relevant?
It's an absolute pleasure to be the narrator and involved in the production of this short film about the environmental and health challenges in Africa and the transformation that strategic partnerships can bring.
Produced by the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation and showcasing different African project partners, this film highlights the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the opportunities for a sustainable future in Africa.
Watch here - https://youtu.be/b1dpiIE48NM
Join me tomorrow, 19th November at 1.30pm UK Time as host an International Health and Sanitation Webinar sponsored by the Participate with Recirculate Programme of Lancaster University. All attendees will receive a certificate of participation.
Join webinar here using this zoom link - https://zoom.us/j/95523854139?pwd=dXR6R2dJVEJEZ2VrZ3J6T2FIMG56QT09
#africa #leadership #innovation #sdgs #sustainabledevelopment #sustainability #circulareconomy #climatechange #environmental #people
Why do you do what you do? What is it that gets you up in the morning even when you are tired and spent.
The capacity of a doctor is mostly measured in the convalescence of their patient as the reputation of a mentor should be measured by the growth of their mentees.
Today, I celebrate two amazing change agents who I have been fortunate and blessed to support and mentor. First is the inspirational Abel Nyamai from Kenya who just passed his masters degree dissertation at Strathmore University Kenya who I supervised. Next is the amazing Honorable Neema Lugangira @neemalugangira who just got sworn in as one of the young prominent female Members of Parliament in the Tanzanian Parliament. I also co-supervised her MBA Thesis.
Africa's future is in her youth and boy! am I excited to be part of the crew investing in that future. Why do you do what you do???
#africa #leadership #success #kenya #education #youthday #people #university #mentorship
When next you walk or drive past or through a university please do something for me. Try and count how many SMEs are in and around the university within a 1Km radius and I am sure there are more than 100. Tell me your number when you do the count.
The truth is that these SMEs benefit from their proximity to the university but does the University benefit from having these SMEs close by.
With more than half of the over 420 million African youth being unemployed, and over 80% of employers saying the average graduate lacks employability skills from work experiences, are these SMEs potential partners of Universities?
Register now to hear me give the opening key note address at the Global Minds Conference funded by the Belgian Government on December 15th - https://globalmindsvlhora.be/event/increased-employability-in-the-global-south/
Before then, register now to see me host an international webinar next week - November 19th on health and sanitation funded by the UK Government GCRF Lancaster University RECIRCULATE Project - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/participate-with-recirculate-health-and-sanitation-webinar-tickets-119989960201
Change is here!!! Be the change you need!!
VLHORA - Vlaamse Hogescholenraad #africa #leadership #people #research
I received an interesting call couple of weeks ago from the Director General (DG) of the Council of Legal Education (The Nigerian Law School) wanting me to become a member of their Editorial Advisory Board.
Even though I get several of such requests which I can't take on, this was particularly different and especially because I am not even a legal professional. But then that’s the beauty of understanding what gaps you can fill. What I am though, is a multi-disciplinary knowledge exchange expert and I am hoping to help the Nigerian Law School innovate and internationalise. It's exactly why the DG rang me.
In an era where crises abounds, only solution providers will abound even more. I wake up most mornings and I wonder what problems there are which my skills and knowledge can help resolve no matter how small. It's the basis on which all successful careers are built on. What problems are you solving and problems can you solve? If you can answer these two questions, then get in touch.
Looking forward to delivering three knowledge/training sessions this week. See flyers for details and may you have a problem-solving week.
#leadership #management #work #careers #education #training
It's crucial to know your 'roar' - what you love, brings you joy and gives value to others. It’s the basis for your career sustenance and sustainability.
The last weeks have been great as I have received several requests to 'ROAR' and make a positive impact to different institutions' goal to increase employability, resource mobilisation for its staff & students.
Last week I delivered a talk on Career Success in the midst of crises' to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme of the University of Edingburgh UK to over 100 of its students.
Then I received confirmation to be a key note speaker at the Global Minds Summit, a Belgian -funded Programme of 13 Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts - https://globalmindsvlhora.be/what/ - (watch this space)
I am faculty at the Prof Ndubuisi Ekekwe’s
Tekedia Institute Career Week and will delivering other trainings on employability, international research funding and resource mobilisation to the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Kenya School Directors and a host of others - see flyers.
You might teach a parrot to roar but it will struggle especially if it must do it many times over to remain relevant. I am delighted to have found mine. Have you found your ROAR?
We are rolling out a range of brand new courses shortly - watch out!
What did you have for breakfast today? Do you know how the food got to you? Is there a business in agriculture? Why do Agriculture graduates from most African universities never or hardly do anything agricultural? With the African extractives industry performing poorly and agriculture taking a centre stage in Africa, what are the challenges and opportunities?
Can Africa feed itself? Africa sits on 65% of the uncultivated arable land left in the world and so Africa can feed the 9 billion people on Planet Earth by 2050.
Tomorrow, Thursday October 8th at 11am UK time is the UK Government funded Lancaster University free International Sustainable Agriculture webinar.
Participate using the zoom link - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/95523854139?pwd=dXR6R2dJVEJEZ2VrZ3J6T2FIMG56QT09 . The passcode is 416984 if prompted to enter one.
All participants will receive a certificate of participation from Lancaster University Recirculate Project.
When next you buy food to eat, imagine you were involved in some sense in making it happen.