One Million Leaders Africa Project

At St Louis Grammar School, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria, the summer of 2024 witnessed the ignition of a transformative vision: The One Million Leaders Africa Bootcamp (OMLA 2024). The bootcamp's vibrant young minds, aged 13 to 18, embarked on a week-long journey exploring realms of leadership and sustainability, entrepreneurship, climate change and more.

The One Million Leaders Bootcamp is not just an event; it's a movement Organized by NELIS. OML seeks to connect, inspire, and empower a million young minds from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Middle East and North Africa by 2030, creating leaders capable of forging a positive and sustainable future. This year’s Boot Camp is the second edition of the program for teenagers, focusing on reaching out to secondary school students.

With registration and healthcare teams in place, 120 participants attended the bootcamp. Participants showcased what they developed from what they learnt during the entrepreneurship practical sessions.

The training sessions ranged fromunderstanding climate change, its effects and how to mitigate it; to leadership skills, career orientation, embracing technology, and entrepreneurship.

After each day’s lectures, students gather in their assigned teams to assess their newly acquired knowledge. Participants have the opportunity to express themselves and share their own leadership initiatives

The entrepreneurship workshop also provided practical training on metalwork, including the use of steel to create frying pans, cake pans and packers. Participants also learned about food processing techniques and produced cakes and puff-puffs.

Participants were trained on how to plant trees to combat climate change. Now these bots and girls can independently plant and grow trees in their communities.

A memorable grand finale saw sponsors, teachers, and dignitaries gathered together, celebrating the achievements, knowledge gained, skills acquired, mind-set shift and products crafted by the participants. In addition, five exceptional students were recognized for their outstanding performance throughout the bootcamp and awarded scholarships to an ICT center. Additionally, teams showcased their skills through engaging presentations, including speeches, talk shows, and spoken word performances. The team with the most impressive presentation was awarded a special prize.

OMLA 2024 Bootcamp has established a new baseline. The young minds' potentials, combined with expert mentorship, have proven that with the right guidance, Africa's future is bright. We await the next edition with your continued support, envisioning greater reach, and deeper impact.

Links:

• OMLA website
• OMLA Impact Report
• OMLA Boot camp 2024

Grant Award: OMLA Alumni Making a Positive Impact

Three outstanding alumni members were recently awarded grants through the Lynne Murguia Grant Opportunities. These grants support innovative projects aimed at tackling critical issues within our communities.

• Tafadzwa Muzira is empowering young farmers in Zimbabwe with his Climate Smart Agriculture Training (CSAT) Project.
• Kesandu Uchenyi is tackling hunger and promoting academic success by providing nutritious meals to young people in Ndi Enugu, Nigeria.
• Ejolle Lovert Epie is helping communities affected by conflict and climate change through the establishment of regenerative farming systems and financial support for returnees.

Launching the OMLA Club

The year kicked off with the much-anticipated launch of the OMLA Club with over 300 enthusiastic students who participated in last year’s bootcamp across 11 partnering schools. A manual developed by the team was distributed to Club members. This exciting initiative gives students a platform to explore their leadership potential and become advocates for positive change. We also notified 17 partnering schools about the upcoming second edition of the OMLA Bootcamp, generating a buzz of excitement. To ensure a smooth rollout, we developed comprehensive OMLA Club Manuals for both teachers (Club Supervisors) and students. Recognizing the importance of sustainable funding, we embarked on a sponsorship outreach, garnering support from local organizations.

Igniting a Passion for Change

The first OMLA Club meetings commenced in March, providing a platform for students to delve into the world of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and explore the power of advocacy. Additionally, the dedication of our Club Supervisors was evident through the submission of monthly reports via Google Docs.

Major Milestones Achieved

The second edition of the OMLA Bootcamp received an official thumbs-up from the government! Following this triumph, the successful list for the Bootcamp was compiled, and a call for volunteers was initiated – a chance for passionate individuals to make a real difference.

Gear Up for the OMLA Bootcamp!

June saw the securing of a fantastic host school for the OMLA 2024 Bootcamp – St. Louis Catholic Grammar School in Akure, Ondo State. To further engage students, the OMLA Club Challenge, an essay writing competition, was launched. Awards will be presented to the top three winners during the grand finale of the Bootcamp. Official notifications were sent to the 200 successful Bootcamp participants, along with consent forms to ensure a smooth onboarding process. The host school's facilities were inspected, outreach efforts were initiated to secure facilitators, and strategic partnerships were formalized with organizations like MSTP and NPF.

We're incredibly proud of the progress made so far, and we can't wait to share more updates on the upcoming OMLA programs and activities! Stay tuned for more exciting news as we continue to empower young people to become the changemakers of tomorrow!