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HELP to train 22 graduates on innovation, leadership skills

By Victor Uzoho
07 August 2018   |   3:20 am
The Hutzpa Excellence Leadership Programme (HELP) fellowship, a social impact initiative, has concluded plans to train 22 Nigerian graduates within three years of graduation...

Founder and Executive Director, HELP Fellowship, Dr. Obichi Obiajunwa

The Hutzpa Excellence Leadership Programme (HELP) fellowship, a social impact initiative, has concluded plans to train 22 Nigerian graduates within three years of graduation from university, on innovation and leadership skills to inspire, initiate, manage and lead innovations in the country while enhancing their careers.

HELP is a three-months intensive innovation, leadership and mentorship programme, facilitated by Hutzpa Centre for Innovation and Development, which will be in two stages. The fellowship stage, which commenced in July 2018, lasts till October while the mentorship stage holds annual basis.

The programme is designed to give participants practical hands-on experience by assigning them to global experts in their fields to mentor them and give them tools to solve real life problems in society.

Speaking at the unveiling of the propramme in Lagos, Founder and Executive Director, HELP Fellowship, Dr. Obichi Obiajunwa, said the fellowship was focuses on getting excellent minds from across Nigeria and scale up the seeds of excellence in them.

He said: “We have identified the participants as excellent people and we want to give them a platform to leverage to attain the level of excellence they need to change their spheres by leading innovations.

“We went through a rigorous application process to select the participants. Over 100 people applied and we selected 22.

“The first criteria for their selection was that they have to be Nigerians, they have to be within three years of graduation from the university and they have made not less than 4.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).

“However, we made a provision for people that are well vast and well experienced in handling innovative projects around the country in their fields. They might not have up to 4.0 CGPA but they are skilled and have achieved notable measurable projects in the innovation space.”
Speaking, Director of Programmes, Nnamdi Ifeagwu, noted that the participants would be groomed, empowered and provided with annual mentorship for life.

“Every year, they are entitled to mentors that will groom them and help them understand and build business ideas and execute business proposals.

“They are basically trained on innovation to help develop and build innovation platforms and products from seeing a problem to solving it.

“The platform would assist them to create a network and a resource base where whatever innovative solution they bring up or produce, to enable them have access to individuals and companies that will pick interest and help them scale up.

“What we want to see is that these brilliant young minds that have the passion for excellence and are already doing things on their own, will have the means to continue with what they are doing and whatever they produce will see the light of the day,” he said.

He maintained that HELP was poised to ensure that when people come up with innovative ideas, such ideas will solve global problems, especially in Nigeria and Africa and to provide resource base for people and companies that will pick such ideas.

The fellowship brought experts leading in different sectors in Israel and the United Kingdom.

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