Lagos, March 30, 2008 – On Thursday, March 27, 2008, a new set of twenty-five young people graduated from the Ajegunle.org project, a train-the-trainer capacity building initiative by Paradigm Initiative Nigeria that uses a positive peer pressure concept to transform Ajegunle. Building on the success of the first set of graduates, who have successful trained one hundred and six (106) peers in basic ICT knowledge, the training modules (as well as training process) were modified to accommodate an additional week of ICT training as well as more support towards the development of a realistic business plan. Three of the project’s graduates have successfully interned with the United Kingdom Trade and Investment Unit (UKTI) of the British Deputy High Commission, Lagos, where they were exposed to work ethics, international trade, networking opportunities as well as an opportunity to apply the skills they acquired during the Ajegunle.org capacity building program. Two of them have jointly started a Forex Academy in Ajegunle, after receiving a free Forex training at Hands on Institute of Information Technology (HiiT) Lagos.

In line with our desire to increase the number of available internship positions, a breakfast meeting was hosted for the project by the UKTI on February 14, 2008, where eight (8) firms signed up to provide internship opportunities for Ajegunle.org graduates. The meeting had in attendance, His Excellency, Bob Dewar, British High Commissioner to Nigeria; Peter Stephenson, Director of Trade and Investment, British Deputy High Commission, Lagos and convener of the meeting; Piyush Nair, MD Lornamead Africa; Richard Myerscough, MD Virgin Atlantic Airways; Micheal McTighe, MD, Arik Air; Ike Chioke, DMD, Afrinvest WA; Lebari Ukpong, Director, London Metropolitan University Nigeria Office; Richard Seaver, MD, DHL International Nigeria; Christopher Knight, MD, Standard Chattered Bank Nigeria Limited; ‘Gbenga Sesan, ED, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria and Ugochukwu Nwosu, Program Manager, Ajegunle.org. Following the breakfast meeting, one intern has resumed at UKTI, four (4) interns will resume at Afrinvest WA this month, two (2) others will resume internship at Lornamead Africa, two (2) will resume at Virgin Atlantic and four (4) will also resume at DHL Nigeria. The UK High Commissioner was very impressed with the project and he posted a blog on the day he met with the PIN team. A new intern also resumed at the UKTI on Friday, March 14, 2008.

Ajegunle.org has received tremendous media coverage and has been presented in various for a across the world (Uganda, Ethiopia, Egypt, United Kingdom and Switzerland) as a case study on how ICTs can be used to aid development in underserved communities. The project has also been accepted as one of the projects that will compete in the British Council/Youngstar Foundation Top 12 Youth Works competition. Ajegunle.org is currently accepting applications for a new set of twenty-five trainees, whose training will commence on May 12, 2008. Paradigm Initiative Nigeria is a social enterprise seeking to help deliver ICT for socio-economic opportunities in Nigeria. PIN staff recently consulted for Harvard University, International Telecommunications Union, Computer Aid International and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, among others. PIN’s other bottom-up result-oriented programs, delivered in partnership with various institutions and communities, include the Non-Profit Employee Management Program (NEMP), Creating Local Connections West Africa (CLCWA, a TakingITGlobal collaboration), NIGHT Force (an anti-cybercrime initiative) and CaneVillage.com (a planned social enterprise for artisans).

Contact:
Ugo Nwosu
Program Manager, Ajegunle.org
ugo.nwosu[at]ajegunle.org
www.ajegunle.org
www.pin.org.ng
+234 803 74 74 312

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