Jude Tochukwu Ekeh
Founder/Chairman Board of Trustees
“Empowering young people means creating and supporting the enabling conditions under which
young people can act on their own behalf, and on their own terms, rather than at the direction of
others.”
-Commonwealth Heads of Government, Edinburgh, 1997
Each year, institutions churn out hundreds of thousands of graduates, but there aren’t adequate jobs for these graduates. This raises formidable policy questions;
Is there a nexus between development planning and demography in policy and practice?
Are there interventions reflecting these demographic trends, in training, employment and education activities?
What should be the positive measurable outcomes of successfully engaging youths in economic activity?
What is the worst possible scenario if the labour market entrants are marginalised, powerless and excluded.
EAYF has a drafted strategic plan on how to address these problems. These include empowering young people through entrepreneurship, providing them with seed capital, network, mentorships, and knowledge to build successful businesses that employ others, and reducing unemployment.
Programs
Working together with communities and collaborating organisations to level the
playing field for entrepreneurs who have been left behind due to demographic,
socioeconomic, and geographic barriers through existing entrepreneur support
grant programs, issuing requests for proposals (RFPs), and amplifying learnings
across the field of entrepreneurship support.
Policy
Starting a business is difficult enough; government shouldn't make it harder or
more complicated. We empower advocates to educate policymakers about why
new businesses matter so that the voices of entrepreneurs can inform policy
debates at the local, state, and federal level.
Research
Creating actionable insights, data-driven models, and practical tools that align with
core strategies and support reducing barriers for entrepreneurs through key
reports, such as the EAYF Indicator of Entrepreneurship and other papers or
articles.
Learning
Creating a learning community of entrepreneurs, providing people with ideas the
connections, tools, and support needed to be successful,
