BASF, world’s leading chemical company, combining economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility has partnered with Junior Achievement Worldwide and Junior Achievement NIgeria, to implement the second edition of the National Innovation Challenge on Young people for a Sustainable Future.
The National Challenge which is billed to hold on 29th August, 2023 is aimed at empowering students aged 15 to 20, with a particular focus on underrepresented youth.
This initiative according to the groups would seek to amplify the voices of young individuals by addressing the local impact of climate change and inspiring innovative solutions to combat climate-related issues within their communities.
The goal of the National Challenge is to create a signature showcase for Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), the students who benefit from the impact of the JA WorldWide (JAWW) Climate Change and Just Transition lessons, which is a school-based challenge for senior secondary school students.
Eight exceptional student teams, meticulously selected through the rigorous workshop process, will present their innovative ideas and solutions to an esteemed panel of independent judges. These judges will evaluate the proposals against a predefined set of criteria, assessing both the innovation and viability of the ideas in various facets of implementation.
The winning team from the National Challenge will earn the honor of representing Nigeria at the prestigious Virtual Global Exchange Program, an international stage where they will engage with their peers from around the world to exchange ideas, insights, and collaborative efforts aimed at addressing the urgent challenges posed by climate change and just transitioning.
Commenting on the initiative, Foluso Gbadamosi, Executive Director of JA Nigeria, said “The Innovation Challenge is more than just a competition; it is a platform that amplifies the voices, ideas, and solutions of young people all around the world. Our partnership with BASF provides young people in Nigeria with the resources and support needed to promote sustainable solutions to climate issues.
“The voices of young people will make a smooth transition to a climate-friendly future a greater possibility. According to the United Nations, Half of the people on our planet are 30 or younger, and this is expected to reach 57% by the end of 2030; this is another call for the society, nation and the world at large to support young people in this transformation”
Speaking on behalf of BASF Dr. Akintayo Adisa Manager- Senior Project Sustainability said- “The ability to innovate effectively serves as the bedrock of any progressive society and given the myriad of problems and challenges facing Nigeria as a society, it is important to change the way we view these challenges. And this is why the culture of innovation in our schools and institutions must be encouraged, developed, and supported.
” It is important to start seeing problems as opportunities to innovate and create value for society through the development of sustainable solutions therefore a pleasure to support this initiative and to encourage people at such a young age to start adopting an innovative approach to problem-solving and creation of value for society.”
About Junior Achievement WorldWide
As one of the world’s largest and most-impactful youth-serving NGOs, JA delivers hands-on, immersive learning in work readiness, financial health, entrepreneurship, sustainability, STEM, economics, citizenship, ethics, and more.
The impact of JA’s learning experiences goes beyond the lives of individual students. For over 100 years, JA has operated all over the world, even in areas of political instability, violence, and war, ready to help students through the unemployment, poverty, and hopelessness that stem from such conditions.
