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Over the years, young people have been described to be the leaders of tomorrow, uncertain about what tomorrow holds which is why iKapture Centre for Development has invested the last 9 years in ensuring that young people are better equipped to be the leaders of our present times.

This year, due to the pandemic, many organizations have been forced to adapt to the new normal. Organizations have adapted through a shift from physical convenings, conferences, and engagements to virtual versions of these programmes and initiatives which have the potential to reach a wider audience.

The YLEAD Fellowship as the flagship program of iKapture Centre for Development has impacted young people in the South-South region of Nigeria over the last 9 years. To mark the 10th Anniversary, the YLEAD 2020 fellowship program held virtually hosting over 24 participants from across 9 states in Nigeria.

The Virtual program provided a platform for young people to learn from experienced thought leaders, share knowledge with changemakers, and also create meaningful networks. Participants were exposed to 1 week of training, 2 weeks of internship with top organizations in Nigeria, a Business Simulation Exercise which encouraged an entrepreneurial drive for the participants, and a 1-month Mentorship program with experienced leaders in various industries. The program recorded remarkable success as participants gave their honest feedback on the program

The world is evolving as fast as possible with its speed as that of light, only those who are innovative are worth the tasks ahead. Life is beyond survival for the fittest, it is all wrapped by living a life of impact and purpose, “What do you have to offer”. The business simulation taught me this. – Akinlose Titilayo. YLEAD Class of 2020

I learned a whole lot of things, the internship and business spaces taught me resilience, perseverance, how to work with people in an office or work environment, and teamwork as I had to work with a team to make our business idea pull through, I learned how to manage my time, the risks in business and to maximize profit. I also learned that in business you can start with little or nothing so the issue of huge capital to start up shouldn’t be a problem.- Azuh Jennifer, YLEAD CLass of 2020

The YLEAD Program has been very practical. I have been given the rare opportunity to learn, practice, and grow. I’m super grateful to all our amazing facilitators,  business coaches, mentors, YLEAD Program Coordinator, and iKapture Networks for this wonderful opportunity to be a part of this great program.- Destiny Aniyom, YLEAD Class of 2020

My YLEAD Journey has been an exciting one as I have learned a lot and most importantly met new amazing people – Okoro Peter Chibuike, YLEAD Class of 2020.

In celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the flagship program and graduation ceremony, the organization held its Virtual Anniversary Conference on the 13th of November with young people across Nigeria in attendance. The Keynote address was delivered by Wadi Ben-Hirki, Executive Director of Wadi Ben-Hirki Foundation on the theme Leadership & Entrepreneurship: Strengthening Youth Participation, she said “In order to strengthen youth participation, there is a need to map out and build strong networks and partnerships with key stakeholders needed to achieve your goals and objectives.

Our Guest speakers who spoke on various sub-themes include Joseph Etim Founder of Young People Connect Africa encouraged young people to leverage opportunities by starting with what is already available and within reach, Sani Muhammed, Executive Director Bridge Connect Africa Initiative also admonished young people that as a social entrepreneur it is important to build and maintain social relationships and collaborative partnerships, Ngunan Ioron Executive Director Samuel Ioron Foundation who gave a presentation on Entrepreneurship and Innovation for Young Leaders encouraged entrepreneurs not to be totally dependent on others but rather garner knowledge about the product they want to launch or develop.

The virtual conference gave young people and the graduands a sense of clarity and direction. Graduands were presented with certificates and also awarded for their outstanding performance.

The YLEAD CLASS OF 2020 Participants are;

About iKAPTURE CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT & YLEAD FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM:

iKapture Centre for Development is a nonprofit youth organization committed to raising the next generation of socially aware leaders and tech-savvy entrepreneurs in Africa. Now in its 10th year, iKapture’s flagship project, YLEAD, has reached over 500 young people with support from Michelle Obama’s Young African Women Leaders’ Forum Small Grants, British Council’s Global Changemakers, U.S. Department of State Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF), Ashoka’s Youth Venture and the American Corner Calabar.

The Youth Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Development (YLEAD) Fellowship is an immersive capacity building program designed to educate, engage, and equip young people with skills to prepare them for the world of work and transition from school to career. This four-week leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal development program is designed for students and secondary school graduates as well as out-of-school youth in Nigeria.

iKapture Centre for Development is hosting the 2021 Digital SkillUp Summer Bootcamp. The bootcamp is a 4-week intensive and immersive tech program designed for kids and teenagers who want to gain digital skills. Participants learn how to code and use app builders to create their own apps. Other courses offered include, graphics design, and life skills including self-awareness, communication, leadership and teamwork.

We live in a fast-changing world, with advancements in science and technology, machines and artificial intelligence are fast replacing conventional jobs. It has become imperative that the education sector offers more than just certificates. The future is digital and for anyone to meet up with it’s standard; they must have certain digital skills. There is critical need to produce a generation of thinkers and problem solvers. The best time to learn those skills is now and we are committed to bridging the gap between the societal demands and young people by equipping them with the skills and values to tackle today’s challenges and ready for tomorrow’s aspirations.

After completing the program, students join a growing alumni network for career support and community. They have access to mentors to further develop their skills.

What kids will learn

• Programming: Python, HTML/CSS, JavaScript
• App Builders: App Inventor, Thunkable, Scratch
• Graphics design
• Microsoft Office
• WordPress
• Use of Social Media
• Explainer Videos
• Vision Boarding
• Life Skills

Who is this for?

• Open to African kids and teens between 5 and 16 years

Program Details

This program adopts a practical approach, which is structured to take place within the period of 4 weeks.

Onsite:

• 2nd – 27th August 2021
• Monday – Friday
• 9am – 2pm daily

Program Cost

Early bird registration- #25,000 ( Deadline: Friday, July 16, 2021. )

How to Register

Visit: https://bit.ly/DSB21

Pay to:
iKapture Centre for Development
5600192664
Fidelity Bank

Call 0813-462-4760 or 08090970206 to confirm payment and secure your spot.

GIRLS FROM CALABAR AND ABA PITCH THEIR IDEAS FOR SOCIALLY-CONSCIOUS STARTUPS 

Calabar, May 1, 2019

iKapture Networks in partnership with The LiftHUB and with the support of the U.S. Embassy Nigeria is hosting 26 teams of girls ages 10-18 from South-South region of Nigeria for its 1^st Technovation Regional Pitch Event on May 11, 2019. Technovation is a global technology entrepreneurship program for girls that challenges them to identify and solve a community problem through the development of a mobile app. The girls have spent the last five months participating in the program and will take the stage to explain how their ideas will solve community problems like poor quality of education, lack of healthcare services, fake food products and more.

The Regional Pitch Event is the first round of the global technology entrepreneurship program. Students will pitch their app ideas to a panel of judges from The LiftHUB, Innovation Growth Hub, Afterschool Center for Career Development and 1 Million Jobs Initiative. The participating teams will be competing for the opportunity to attend the annual Technovation World Pitch Summit in August 2019 held in Silicon Valley. There, 12 teams from around the world will be flown in and invited to pitch their apps and business plans to a panel of tech industry experts for a chance to win scholarships to advance their education in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects.

During the Technovation Regional Pitch Event, the teams of girls will:

• Display their app demos and prototype of their ideas 9:00 – 10:00am
• Pitch on live stage 10:00am – 3:00pm

In addition to the teams pitching their ideas, attendance is open to the public and will include a variety of technology experts and advocates, including the Commissioner for Women Affairs and the Commissioner for Health, eager to hear from young women in their community. 

WHERE: Tinapa Knowledge City, Calabar, Nigeria

WHEN: Saturday,May 11, 2019, 9:00am – 4:00pm

WHO: 26 teams from Calabar and Aba; business leaders, changemakers, advocates, students

This is the ninth season of Technovation globally and the first season of Technovation in the South-South region.

After participating in Technovation, 70% of girls globally are interested in pursuing further technology related programs. In the U.S., 60% of girls enroll in further Computer Science courses with 30% majoring in Computer Science in college, 65 times the national rate for US female college students.

The Regional Pitch Event is a showcase of local talent and innovation, and an excellent opportunity to talk to the problem solvers and app developers of tomorrow. To learn more about Technovation globally, visit www.technovationchallenge.org.

About iKapture Networks

iKapture Networks is an emerging social enterprise that seeks to provide solutions to the youth and educational challenges using innovative strategies and information and communication technology (ICT) in Nigeria. The organization works with secondary and post-secondary students as well as graduates and youth between the age of 15 and 25 years who require certain relevant skills to be outstanding in an increasingly competitive environment. Using cutting edge technologies and adopting innovative strategies and approach, we provide high quality and intensive training, tutorials, engagement programs, internship and links to opportunities for development.

About Iridescent and Technovation

Iridescent is a global technology & engineering education nonprofit that empowers underrepresented young people and their families to become self-motivated learners, inventors, and leaders. Founded in 2006 by CEO Tara Chklovski, Iridescent has had more than 100,000 children, parents, mentors, and educators participate in its two global programs: Technovation, the world’s largest global tech entrepreneurship program for girls, and Curiosity Machine, a unique, open-ended, project-based learning program that inspires students, families, and teachers to create science and engineering solutions together. Through Technovation, girls work in teams to identify a real-world community problem and then build an app and a business plan that solves that problem. In 2017, Iridescent was co-recognized along with Technovation Global Ambassador Anar Simpson for Outstanding Mobile Industry Individual Leadership at the GSMA Women4Tech awards. Technovation was profiled in CodeGirl, a documentary directed by Lesley Chilcott.