Oladapo Omitogun has over 4 years of experience as an social entrepreneur and volunteer focusing on youth and community development. He earned a Bachelor of Science (Education) in Economics from Tai Solarin University of Education in Nigeria. An alumnus of the Digify Africa and the YALI Regional Leadership Centre West Africa Emerging Leaders Program 2019.
Oladapo was the team lead of a nonprofit social enterprise that advocate for self-reliance in the youths and enable them to be a productive citizen towards contributing to Nigeria’s economic growth. He has volunteered and worked on impactful projects with international organizations like Google, enactus, UN SDG Action Campaign, African Students for Liberty & Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Nigeria. He is a Global Youth Mental Health Awareness (GYMHA) Ambassador for Nigeria and was appointed a Global Goodwill Ambassador in Nigeria, due to his works on volunteerism and humanitarian activities. He enjoys focusing on the topics of social entrepreneurship, digital learning & leadership.
HOW ARE YOU LOCALIZING THE SDGS IN NIGERIA?
I am making digital skills available to all through partnership with local authorities and other non governmental organisations.
PLEASE TELL US MORE THE MAIN PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON
The main goal is to prepare young people to gain relevant skills that will make them employable or better still make money from it. For like two years now, I have being empowering young people and students with digital and employability skills by organising physical and online events through my social enterprise “Next Digital Talent”. I have partnered with non-profit organisations that share the same vision to touch vulnerable lives and prepare young minds for the digital workforce.
PLEASE SHARE SOME OF THE IMPACT STORIES
In 2018, through the organisation I worked with, over 340 students of the Ogun State grassroots Secondary School were directly impacted and trained on digital and computer appreciation skills. In 2019, I partnered with La Roche Leadership Foundation in Gbagada, Lagos Nigeria, to train and engage young children and youths on digital literacy skills. 75 participants within the age range of 12 to 25 years participated in a 6 weeks program tagged “digital skills for teenagers and youths.” I shared different education website that can help to improve their online writing skill, develop graphic design skill and most importantly teaching them how to search for relevant contents on google.com and Youtube. Group competition was set in place to reward the best students and certificate was given to all participants on their graduation ceremony.
HOW IS THE PROJECT ENSURING THAT NIGERIA ACHIEVES THE SDGS BY 2030?
With Next Digital Talent project, the main aim is to continually prepare young people with digital skills to secure a job or start decent work.
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OR CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT AND WHAT ARE THE SUPPORT YOU NEED?
The challenge mostly is in the financial support to reach more less privilege young people. Through partnerships and exposure from platforms that supports social enterprise like mine, I believe the project gets to do more better and to be recognised.
YOUR ADVICE TO YOUNG PEOPLE
To be more resilient towards getting want they want and never give up!
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