Three Nigerian teenagers have won a combined $1,989 grant to execute community-impact projects under the 2025 Pan-African Youth Leadership Program (PAYLP) Mini-Grant scheme.
The young beneficiaries, Olagbemisoke Alaka, Dinatu Joseph, and Divine Akunne, emerged as recipients of the U.S.-funded support, allowing them to turn innovative ideas into practical solutions for challenges within their local communities.
The grant, provided through a partnership between the U.S. Department of State and the Meridian International Centre, enabled the youths to design and complete projects that addressed pressing needs among students, children, and smallholder farmers.
The implementing organisation, Youth Can Nigeria, confirmed successful completion of all three projects, noting that the mini-grant not only empowered the teenagers to drive meaningful change but also showcased the potential of young Nigerians when given the opportunity and resources to lead.
According to the organisation, their initiatives ranged from improving access to educational resources to supporting child development and strengthening agricultural practices for vulnerable families.
It noted that Alaka’s RaiseNets Initiative addressed indiscriminate waste disposal in an Ogun State community by providing environmental education to over 400 students and securing 350 pledges for action. She also collaborated with the Waste Management Authority and donated four large waste bins, helping the community adopt proper waste practices and creating a safer and more sustainable environment.
In Abuja, Dinatu Joseph’s Yara Reader Project trained 17 teenage volunteers as “street teachers” to tutor 96 children, aged eight to 14, to read in their communities. The project improved literacy skills, strengthened peer-based learning, and provided critical support for underserved children, with parents witnessing their progress at a community Demo Day.
Also, Divine Akunne’s TIRA Water Project provided a low-cost irrigation solution for smallholder farmers in the Federal Capital Territory, helping them cope with dry-season water shortages. The project, expanded to serve 23 farmers, is expected to reduce labour demands, improve irrigation and support resilient dry-season farming.
All three projects were supervised by the 2025 PAYLP Adult Mentor and Co-Founder of the KNOSK N100-a-Day Charity Secondary School, Kuje, Abuja, Irene Bangwell.
