Anambra State Community and Social Development Agency (ANCSDA) which is an Agency of the state government that is currently implementing World Bank Assisted Community and Social Development Project- Additional Financing (CSDP-AF) has partnered with Tedx Awka, towards changing the narratives for the Anambra youths and the communities.
TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is an International media organization which advocates ideas worth sharing that impact and reshape the future of the nation and its citizens. The organization is celebrated for its semi-annual conferences that bring together some of the world’s best influencers, thought leaders and inventors. The conference which is streamed to over 7 million people yearly and is translated in over 13 languages has had the likes of Steve Jobs, Bill Clinton, Richard Branson, NgoziOkonjo-Iweala etc.
Recently, the Licenses of TED in Anambra State with the full support and sponsorship of the Ministry of Economic Planning, Budget and Departmental Partners (MEDP) under the leadership of Honourable Commissioner, Mark Okoye, organized the inaugural TEDx Awka event in Anambra tagged ‘Changing the Narratives’ of which the mission was to shift mindsets of the participants to think in line with the fast-paced nature of global systems and challenge themselves to play active roles in shaping their community. The vision of the event was in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), and 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). TEDx Awka aimed at providing its participants with access to inclusive knowledge of the speakers, encourage better understanding of gender equality and awaken in the audience, the drive to engage in or create decent work which will contribute to the economic growth of their communities. Some notable speakers at the event were Chief John Nnia Nwodo (9th President-General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo), Samson Itodo (Executive Director, YIAGA AFRICA), Emeka Okoye (Semantic Web Architect & Knowledge Engineer), Philipa Mark-Okoye (a global strategy consulting Specialist & Manager),Chizor Malize (CEO, Brandzone Consulting LLC.), Arinze Chilo-Offiah (Executive Director,Anambra State Small Business Agency (ASBA), Ike Ikerionwu (a Certified Mediator in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts), Ameh A Zion(a Mental Health Specialist and Founder/President of The Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative, MHEL), Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji (a consumer brand expert & founder of Ngee Lifestyle blog and Talk show) etc
In his goodwill message at the event, the General Manager ANCSDA, Mr Chudi Mojekwu represented by the Operations Manager ANCSDA, Mrs Uche Nwaizugbo stated that ANCSDA as an agency under MEDP currently implementing Community and Social Development Project-Additional Financing (CSDP-AF) in poor communities of the state is partnering with TEDx Awka by way of sponsorship in ensuring that Anambra youths have their minds and energy redirected towards developing their capacity to fight poverty and assist developing their various communities with their acquired skills. He reminded the youths among the participants that they are change agents and hope of the nation, and as such, the state is looking up to them for future focused leadership and sustenance of developments in their communities.
Mr Mojekwu thanked the state governor, HE Chief Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano for his giant strides in ensuring that CSDP-AF became effective in the state, and have so far reduced poverty and empowered many poor rural community members in the state. The event also created a good platform for showcasing the various micro projects implemented in Anambra communities under CSDP-AF majorly driven by the youths in those poor communities.
