Our nonprofit feature for October, LEAP Africa is a leading youth empowerment organization that is strategically equipping Africans with the skills and resources needed to scale and impact communities.
LEAP Africa is a youth-focused leadership development organization committed to raising leaders that will transform Africa. Founded in 2002 by Mrs. Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli (MFR), LEAP Africa implements interventions for young people that bridges the gap in leadership, education, employability and entrepreneurship. The organization recognizes that youth leadership and inclusion is critical to nation building and wealth creation.
As a foremost youth focused non-profit in Nigeria, Leap focus is centered on two big pillars: making secondary education work for young people and raising talents for the actualization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). LEAP Africa actively contributes to the body of knowledge leveraging their strategic direction of ecosystem building, thought leadership and advocacy. Their extensive research forms the basis for books, articles, research papers and reports publications.
With over 1 million direct and indirect beneficiaries; footprints in about 26 states in Nigeria and 8 African countries, 11 published books, which are action-oriented guides to creating positive and lasting change in individuals, organizations, and communities. LEAP Africa is committed to raising leaders and empowering the youth agency across the continent to transform the Africa of our dreams.
LEAP Africa aims to be recognized as the premier resource centre for developing dynamic, innovative, and principled leaders, who will drive Africa’s realization of its full potential. The organization hopes to inspire, empower and equip a new cadre of African leaders by providing the skills and tools for personal, organizational and community transformation.
Since inception, LEAP Africa’s community change programs have benefited 500,000 students. 24, 000 students have been equipped with leadership skills through their public secondary school programs. 7,600 entrepreneurs have been empowered with resources needed to manage and sustain organizational growth while 8 African countries have benefitted from their numerous flagship programs.
Notable Initiatives
iLEAD: This is a multi-dimensional programme through which LEAP engages teachers, school administrators and graduates to equip underserved youth in public secondary schools with leadership and life skills, employability and entrepreneurship skills. LEAP runs two models; iLEAD Programme and iLEAD Fellowship to improve learning outcomes, raise aspirations of youth and prepare talent for the development sector. Through the iLEAD program, Leap Africa has trained 300 teachers, 1,500 students and impacted 150,000 indirect beneficiaries through community activities in Lagos.
Transformative Leadership Programme: Transformative Leadership Program is designed to equip teachers, administrators with the knowledge, confidence and skills required to model leadership and effectively support the leadership development of the students at the secondary level. The program has enrolled 764 teachers in 3 years, provided training toolkits to 860 teachers and reached 16,329 student scholars.
LEAD The Way: LEAD the Way (LTW) is LEAP Africa’s leadership development programme designed to inspire, empower and equip a new generation of young transformative and ethical leaders between the ages of 13-17 to discover and achieve their full leadership potential. The LEAD The Way curriculum is modelled after international best practices and emerging lessons from reports on youth development across Africa.
Social Innovators Programme (SIP): The Social Innovators Programme & Awards (SIPA) is Leap Africa’s platform for equipping, empowering and showcasing young changemakers with requisite skills and effective tools for building sustainable enterprises. With the support of Union Bank Nigeria and other corporate sponsors, SIP have enabled these young changemakers to transition their social change ideas into scalable social enterprises. The programme has graduated 136 fellows, attracted over $4million in investment and onboarded 215 expert faculty since inception.
Youth Day of Service (YDoS): Youth Day of Service (YDoS) is an annual week-long, pan-African youth-led social impact campaign that begins on August 12 every year which is also ‘International Youth Day’. YDoS is designed to ignite the agency and creativity of young people across Africa towards sustainable development, and promote a culture of communal support and community development. The week-long campaign fosters the spirit of volunteerism within the youth population and inspires them to be active change agents in their communities continuously.
Youth Leadership Programme: The Youth Leadership Programme (YLP) seeks to empower, equip and support young change leaders, who are at the forefront of providing effective and innovative social change solutions, with the skills, knowledge and support system required for them to build sustainable organizations.
Nigeria Youth Futures Fund: New $5 million fund seeded by Ford Foundation and MacArthur Foundation will increase leadership capacity, enhance educational opportunities, and build relationships between youth leaders and regional government. The fund will build on momentum in the region from the youth-led #ENDSARS movement. It will inspire, empower, and equip a new cadre of leaders with skills for personal, organizational, and community transformation.
LEAP Africa’s programs are designed to inspire and equip young people, changing their mindset, to lead ethically and motivating them to deliver positive change in their communities; while also supporting social entrepreneurs to build systems and structures that are crucial for business sustainability, thereby contributing to livelihoods, social and national development.
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Original content authored by Philanthropy Circuit.