Union Bank, JAN Collaborate To Empower More 300 Girls

As part of Junior Achievement Nigeria’s vision of inspiring and preparing the youth to succeed in a global economy and in alignment with Union Bank’s corporate sustainability impact strategy, the Bank in partnership with Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) is set to implement the annual Leadership, Empowerment, Achievement and Development (LEAD) Camp for girls. 

The LEAD Camp commences on July 25, 2022, and is a week-long programme meant to empower young girls to be high-achieving leaders in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal – Gender Equality.

AllNews Nigeria reports that this year’s edition is the 21st anniversary and marks the eighth year of partnership with the Bank.

It is also the first time the camp will be held in a hybrid mode as 300 girls will be trained in leadership workshops, empowerment/panel sessions covering: financial literacy, entrepreneurship, technology, creative arts and entertainment, and development sessions such as coding, understanding sexual abuse, and personal hygiene with leading women from the private and public sectors in Nigeria and project group mentors.

Executive Director, Junior Achievement Nigeria, Foluso Gbadamosi while commenting on the initiative said: “The Junior Achievement Nigeria LEAD Camp is a transforming experience for girls.

"Having top women from different organisations impact our girls is not only inspiring but reassuring and a clear indication that young girls can aspire to be all they were created to be.

"Regardless of the career path they choose to take, they can be successful with the right guidance, mindset, skill sets and networks - this is what this program offers.

"We appreciate Union Bank for their continuous support in partnering with us for the LEAD Camp and we look forward to more years of inspiring girls and enabling a world of possibilities for them to thrive excellently.”

Also commenting on the Bank's continued partnership with JAN Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem said: 

“Union Bank is pleased to extend our long-standing partnership with Junior Achievement Nigeria for their LEAD Camp.

"As a Bank, we are committed to enabling success for the communities we serve and this partnership reinforces our commitment to the push for gender equality and our focus on supporting the girl child.

"We are proud to see the impact of the programme on the young girls across the country and we commend the efforts of the JAN team who work tirelessly to impact them.”

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."