Lagos, Nigeria, August 2022 – Junior Achievement Nigeria has partnered with Union Bank to impact over 300 girls from the 6 Geopolitical zones across Nigeria, in the 21st edition of the Leadership Empowerment Achievement and Development (LEAD) Camp.

The 21st LEAD Camp program which was held from July 25th – 29th, 2022 was designed to inspire and prepare young girls in senior secondary schools to become high achieving leaders in a global economy. For 8 consecutive years, Union Bank has partnered with Junior Achievement Nigeria to implement this program. The Camp, which aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 – Gender Equality currently has a long list of alumni leading in global sectors and making an impact in various industries. 

The week-long program had sessions facilitated by phenomenal women across different industries in the public and private sector including Foluso Gbadamosi, Tracy Atobatele, Ginika Frank-Durugbor, Lola Makanjuola, Tolu Michaels, Kunbi  Odubogun, Eno Adesuwa Eworo, Simi Nwogugu, Ruth Ijaola, Nissi Ikenna-Amadi, Femi Luther-Abegunde, Chioma Nwokike, Chidinma Okoli, Bernadette Ikhena, Kemi Onabanjo, Petra Erhiyoma, Ope Bukola, Dr. Toke Oke, Deborah Adeboyejo, Doris Mbadiwe, Enor Izomor, Kanyin Adio-Moses, Dr. Aniekan Makanjuola, Adetayo Otokiti, Ifeoluwa Obafemi, Roli Majiyagbe, Esther Agbenla, Bisola Badejo, Ayo Mairo-Ese, Onyiyechi Ekumankama,  Mojibade Sosanya and Kilali David-West.

The girls were divided into different groups each led by a mentor where they were taken through intense engagements from leadership workshops to empowerment panel sessions spanning financial literacy, entrepreneurship, STEM classes, creative arts and entertainment and development sessions such as coding, understanding sexual abuse, and personal hygiene. The mentors were Iyanu-Oluwa Olusola, Faith Ilori, Oluwatosin Akintan, Vanessa Ojekwe, Favour Aiyegbeni and Sefunmi Kemisola DADA.

Speaking about the impact of the program, the Executive Director, Junior Achievement Nigeria, Foluso Gbadamosi said: 

“The Junior Achievement Nigeria LEAD Camp is a program that gives girls the permission to dream and an enabling environment to bring their aspirations to reality. During the week-long program, the girls were able to see and discuss with top women, liaise with their colleagues, challenge themselves and understand that everything they aspire to be is possible with the right mindset and environment. We are confident that the hundreds of girls impacted will in turn blossom to be high-achieving leaders leading a global economy in years to come. We appreciate our lead sponsors, Union Bank for their continuous partnership, its 8 unwavering years of commitment and we are glad to continue with them. We are also grateful to our facilitators, staff, volunteers, and every friend of Junior Achievement Nigeria that supported in ensuring LEAD Camp 2022 was a success. Together, we continue to grow as change agents for our world to see and be.”

In her opening remarks, Chief Risk Officer, Union Bank, Olajumoke Odulaja said: 

‘‘For us at Union Bank, gender equality is one of the SDGs that we are particularly passionate about and one that we actively contribute towards; because we truly believe that educating and developing the girl child will have a fundamental positive impact on our development as a nation. This is why we have partnered with Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) on LEAD Camp for 8 consecutive years, and we couldn’t be more pleased and proud to see the impact of the program on the beneficiaries over the years.”

One of the outstanding participants, Blessing Attah from Victoria Island Secondary School commented: 

“The five days at LEAD camp 2022 have shaped my life in different ways. It has improved my critical thinking skills, leadership strength, and confidence to believe in myself, fuelled my passion to pursue my dreams and inspired me to set and achieve my goals. As I grow, I also intend to impact more girls with the need to think big, the need to be self-confident and to follow the path they are destined for in order to build a thriving world. Thank you Union Bank and Junior Achievement Nigeria for enabling my participation in LEAD Camp 2022 and other beneficiaries” 

About Junior Achievement Nigeria

Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) is part of Junior Achievement Worldwide (JAWW), the world’s largest and fastest-growing non-profit economic education organization with a 120-country network. Since its inception in 1999, JAN has reached over one million students in over 20,000 classrooms in all the 36 states across the country and the FCT through over 5000 volunteers. As part of a global network, JAN can leverage resources and expertise to deliver localized cutting-edge experiential programs built on JAWW’s three pillars of work Readiness, Entrepreneurship, and Financial literacy, to in- and out-of-school youths, ages 5 to 27, free of charge.

For more information, visit www.ja-nigeria.org

 

About Union Bank

Established in 1917 and listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. is one of Nigeria’s long-standing and most respected financial institutions. The Bank is a trusted and recognizable brand, with an extensive network of over 300 branches across Nigeria.

The Bank currently offers a variety of banking services to both individual and corporate clients including current, savings and deposit account services, funds transfer, foreign currency domiciliation, loans, overdrafts, equipment leasing and trade finance. The Bank also offers its customers convenient electronic banking channels and products including Online Banking, Mobile Banking, Debit Cards, ATMs and POS Systems.

More information can be found at:  www.unionbankng.com