Applications Open for the 2018 TEF Entrepreneurship Forum Travel Fellowship for African Journalists

The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Africa’s leading entrepreneurship-focused philanthropy, has announced a call for entries for the 2018 TEF Entrepreneurship Forum Travel Fellowship for African journalists.

The Travel Fellowship will provide financial aid to journalists and photojournalists affiliated with African national or global media houses to attend the 2018 Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum happening on the 25^th of October 2018 in Lagos, Nigeria. The Travel Fellowship covers travel and accommodation, while affording journalists the opportunity to interact with participants, guests, key public and private representatives, and leading speakers at the TEF Entrepreneurship Forum. 

The TEF Entrepreneurship Forum 2018 is the largest gathering of African entrepreneurs and the broader entrepreneurship ecosystem. It will unite over 5,000 entrepreneurs, global investors, leaders from the African public and private sectors and development organisations, presenting the unique opportunity to generate ideas, forge networks and bring policymakers and the private sector together, in a spirit of robust debate and interaction. The 2018 cohort from the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme, as well as mentors and partners, will be present, as the culmination of their intensive twelve-week induction.

This year’s Forum will include an interactive session with President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, moderated by TEF Founder, Tony O. Elumelu.

It will also feature the launch ofTEFConnect, the world’s largest digital platform for African entrepreneurs, dedicated to connecting African entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Interested journalists are encouraged to apply HERE.

Eligibility

• Working Journalists affiliated with African national or global media houses
• Documented support provided from Supervisor/media outlet

Deadline: Midnight, September 12, 2018.

Heritage Bank empowers 5, 544 pupils on financial literacy to secure economy

As part of efforts to support the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Financial Literacy Day, which marks the Global Money Week, Heritage Bank Plc empowered 5, 544 (pupils and teachers) in 11 secondary schools across the country.

The CBN’s Financial Literacy Day is a globally celebrated event to promote savings, drive Financial Inclusion, invariably gain a higher standard of life and secure the economy, which is the crux of the Bank’s financial literacy programs.

For the fifth year running, Heritage Bank has successfully commemorated the CBN Financial Literacy Day.
This year, CBN directed Heritage Bank to adopt schools in Benue, Adamawa, Jigawa, Plateau, Imo, Bayelsa and Ogun States for Financial Literacy workshop and the day afforded 5, 544 participants (teachers and students) with financial education.

The workshop was premised on the Global Money Week theme: #MoneyMattersMatter. Students and teachers were taught several concepts including;  the role and management of money, needs and wants, benefit of budgeting, spending and savings. Whilst, others include savings with a financial institution, the basics of financial education and Heritage Bank savings product for young persons (Bud Account).

Addressing some of the participants, the CEO/MD of Heritage Bank, Ifie Sekibo reiterated the importance for young Nigerians to financially and economically equipped for the development of the nation.
According to him, Nigerian youths and those around the world need to be fortified economically via financial literacy knowledge acquisition, which will foster the importance of understanding savings culture and entrepreneurship.

In line with its mission to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations, Sekibo said Heritage Bank developed the HB Bud Savings Account to help its customers to create wealth for the children and provide them a future of financial independence.
“As a bank committed to creating, preserving and transferring wealth from one generation to the next, we have consistently maintained our position as the leading brand in financial inclusion initiatives by leveraging on CBN’s mandate to impact schools across the geopolitical zones and improve financial inclusion,” the MD reiterated.

According to him, opening a savings account for a child is one of the best ways to introduce him/her to that concept of saving at an early age.

He explained that one of the ways the bank has continued to promote savings amongst children is the introduction of “My day as a banker” which is also the Heritage Bank’s unique way of promoting financial literacy among children, which is the core of the HB Bud Savings Account, specially designed to promote savings habit among children and youths.

Meanwhile, other senior employees of the bank visited other select schools in the country as directed by the apex bank to promote financial literacy.

According to Heritage Bank, today’s children and youth should become empowered economic citizens, capable of understanding the importance of saving, and equipped with the skills to be employed and create their own livelihoods. The bank wants young people to learn to manage their money wisely. By empowering children and youth, Heritage Bank can help them create a positive wave that will expand from themselves, to their families, to entire communities and the economy at large. 

GTBank Supports The Attempt Of A Nigerian To Break The Guinness World Record Via 'YouREAD Initiative'

YouREAD Initiative, one of CSR programmes of GTBank launched in 2017 to rekindle the interest in reading, has given her support to a 40-year old Nigerian, Olubayode Treasures Olawunmi who is attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the Longest Marathon Read Aloud.


The current record holder, Deepak Sharma Bajaan attained the feat in 2008 after he read a total of 17 books in 113 hours and 15 minutes.


Now, Treasure Olawunmi is taking a shot at breaking the world record by reading over 15 Nigerian published books in 120 hours over a period of 6 days at the Herbert Macaulay Library, Yaba recently refurbished by the bank.


Treasures Olawunmi started the challenge on Monday 26th February, 2018 at exactly 1:30pm Nigerian time.


So far, he has read nine books including Toni Kan’s The Carnivorous City, Sarah Ladipo Manyika’s Independence, LeyeAdenle’s Easy Motion Tourist, Elnathan John’s Born on a Tuesday amongst many others.


Today, 1st March, has been set aside by UNESCO as the World Book Day and it is the 3rd day of his marathon attempt, he has done over 72hours of reading.


The bank celebrated the day with Treasures Olawunmi, students from various schools in the environs and with over 250 readers who filled the library to capacity.

GTBANK LAUNCHES THE DUSTY MANUSCRIPT CONTEST

Lagos, Nigeria – February, 2018

Foremost African financial institution, Guaranty Trust Bank plc, has launched the Dusty Manuscript Contest(csr.gtbank.com/dustymanuscript) to give budding writers the opportunity to win publishing deals for their finished, but yet-to-be published, manuscripts. Organized in partnership with publishing houses Okada books and Farafina, the contest is part of the Bank’s YouREAD initiative which is aimed at promoting the culture of reading.

The Dusty Manuscript Contest is the latest in a long line of GTBank initiatives geared towards promoting the appreciation of Art and supporting creative potential. In 2017 the Bank remodelled the old Herbert Macaulay Library, Yaba into a state of the art learning and recreational facility that would give people in the community and beyond the opportunity to build capacity, gain exposure and connect with the world. The remodelled library has been the venue of regular book readings and art expositions organized under the YouREAD initiative.

With the Dusty Manuscript Contest, the Bank is seeking to address the challenges indigenous writers face getting their books published.The top 3 entries in the contest will be rewarded with publishing contracts with Farafinaas well cash rewards. The top 10 entries will get their books e-published by Okadabooks, including book cover design, book editing, and publicity. The top 25 book authors will also get a 2-day boot camp training on writing, marketing and branding.Tosubmit a manuscript, interested writers are to visit csr.gtbank.com/dustymanuscript.

The entries in the Dusty Manuscript Contest will be assessed by a panel of four judges which includes EghosaImasuen, the author of widely acclaimed novel, Fine Boys, and Yejide Kilanko, a poet and therapist in children’s mental health, Dr AinehiEdoro-Glines, an Assistant Professor of English Language and Toni Kan, a writer and PR executive whose collection of short stories, Nights of a Creaking Bed, won the NDDC/Ken SaroWiwa prize for literature.

Commenting on the Dusty Manuscript Contest, Mr SegunAgbaje, the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, said; “At GTBank we see art as not just a medium for creative expression but also as a means of livelihood, and by organizing the Dusty Manuscript Contest we are helping budding writers make a living off their works. He further added that; “By addressing the major barrier that our indigenous writers face in sharing their stories with the world, we hope to inspire and develop the next generation of award-winning and globally renowned authors.”

GTBank has consistently played a leading role in Africa’s banking industry. The Bank is regarded by industry watchers as one of the best run financial institutions across its subsidiary countries and serves as a role model within the financial service industry due to its bias for world class corporate governance standards, excellent service quality and innovation.

YETUNDE BABAEKO'S BATTLE SCAR OPENS IN LAGOS

 HOLDS FIRST BREAST CANCER AWARENESS EXHIBITION IN WEST AFRICA

YETUNDE BABAEKO

Leading photographer Yetunde Babaeko and X-perspective, a group of female photographers launched a first of a kind photo exhibition to the delight of guests who converged at Goethe Institute, Onikan on the 8th of March, 2014 to create awareness for breast cancer.

The exhibition drew guests ranging from photographers to art and health enthusiasts and the general public. The event commenced with a one-minute silence for Pa J.D Okhai Ojekere a legendary photographer who was buried on the same day. Yetunde Babaeko opened the event with a speech on her idea behind X-perspective initiative and the exhibition.

Mrs. Clementina Ometu, a representative of Sebeccly Cancer Care educated guests on breast cancer and the importance of early detection, which can help reduce the outbreak in the country. This will enlighten the members of the public and potentially reduce stigma in the society.

Photos showcased were taken by a group of independent female photographers known as X-perspective led by leading photographer Yetunde Babaeko who are driven by the collective goal of “making a lasting impact through the lens of a camera”. Photos from six photographers were showcased, each of them telling a unique story about different cancer survivors.

“This exhibition is really close to my heart because it affects women and their families. These women go through a lot emotionally, financially and physically and the hospitals lack adequate medical equipment and personnel that are needed to cater to these women. My major goal is to create awareness and advocacy for early detection that will reduce the number of patients in the long run. Another goal for me is raising funds for the survivors and patients that are needed to make available the necessary equipment and medications required”. Yetunde Babaeko speaks passionately about breast cancer at the exhibition.

“I attended a workshop organized by Sebeccly Cancer Care and there was a woman who could not afford treatment for the illness. I said to myself what could I do because I didn’t have money nor did I have wealthy friends. That’s where the initiative 1K4Cancer was birthed that had a main goal of soliciting for funds for cancer care and treatment”. Wana Udobang speaks about her initiative at the exhibition.

“It was emotional and heartbreaking to hear the survivors’ story. We did not fully understand the gravity of the stories they told until we started seeing and taking pictures. I joined the initiative because I felt touched by their stories, how most of them had to sell all they had just to pay for treatment and it still was not enough to cover all the treatment”.  Yemi Disu a member X-perspective shares her experience at the exhibition.

This exhibition will run till the 29^th of March 2014 and proceeds from the sales of the photos and post cards will go to Sebeccly Cancer Care for treatment of cancer patients and survivors on their waiting list. 

MORE PICTURES AFTER THE BREAK. PLS CLICK ON READ MORE BELOW