Youth Enterprise Development : Raising Profitable Businesses in a COVID-19 World By Mr Akan Imoh

Youth Day: S.M.I.L.E mentors Youth as solution providers & nation builders By Bimpe Bamgbose-Martins #YouthDay #IYD2020

2020 International Youth Day: Youth Involvement in Governance and Policy Formation By Mr Dayo Israel

Engaging Young Africans for more Impact

It was a great honour to have our special guest, Hawa Maria Diallo; Chief, Civil Society Unit, United Nations Department of Global Communications join us from the United Nations headquarters in New York for this year’s International Youth Day event.

In her remarks, she urged African youth to work together and spread their impact across other parts of the African continent and the world at large.
She also encouraged the youth not to be discouraged when faced with difficulties, instead she advised them to take a step back to re-evaluate the situation and proffer enhanced ideas and solutions.

UN@75: A Call for more Youth Engagement

Over the years S.M.I.L.E has enjoyed the unwavering support of the United Nations Information Centre Nigeria and has been evident in the commemoration of special days for the Youth most especially the United Nations International Youth Day.

This year’s virtual event was not an exception as the Director, United Nations Information Centre Nigeria, Mr. Ronald Kayanja in his address appreciated S.M.I.L.E for putting together another impactful program which coincides with the 75 years anniversary of the United Nations.

In his remarks, Mr Kayanja shared the various areas youth can engage for global action highlighting three major areas;

Vox Pop – Lagosians Share their thoughts about the impact of COVID-19
Special thanks to our partner, the Founder, The Teens Network Daytime Show, a very creative and gifted youth, Dedayo Adeloye and Omolola Adebanjo for taking us to the streets of Lagos to get the feedback of young people in Lagos about how they have responded to the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, thank you for the video clip showing us how to properly wear our survival tool, the face mask.

S.M.I.L.E… Building a better world,

Youth as drivers of Community Development
Special thanks to the Founder, Dreams from the Slum Empowerment Initiative, a young and very dynamic community development advocate, Isaac Success; for sharing the simple but courageous steps he has taken to drive change and enhance development in the Ajegunle community.

Great things are bound to happen when more youth rise up to lead change and transformation.

S.M.I.L.E… Building a better world, raising a new generation of Leaders
‪#YouthLeadChange‬ #YouthDayLagos #YouthDay 

Soothing Words in Uncertain Times !
Words are powerful and at this year’s event we had the unique opportunity to exhale as we listened and reflected on the Spoken Word titled, Changing Times.
Our special thanks to two graduates of the S.M.I.L.E Young Leaders Mentoring Programme; Ajibola Babalola for composing the poem to commemorate this year’s International Youth Day and Atinuke Agbeniyi for the passionate voiceover.
S.M.I.L.E… Building a better world, raising a new generation of Leaders
‪#YouthLeadChange‬ #YouthDayLagos #YouthDay #Youth4GlobalAction

Impact stories from young Change Champions.
Education and the plight of underprivileged children. Sadly when COVID- 19 struck, many underprivileged children stopped learning simply because they lacked the resources and tools.

At this year’s International Youth Day event, Mrs Ajibola Babalola, the founder of Radiance Niche, shared her organization’s work in the community, distributing notebooks and writing materials to underprivileged children during this pandemic.
Education is key !
S.M.I.L.E… Building a better world, raising a new generation of Leaders
‪#YouthLeadChange‬ #YouthDayLagos #YouthDay 

Say NO to the stigmatization of people living with the sickle cell disease !
Stigmatization has become a norm and continues to affect and limit the opportunities for young people living with the sickle cell disease in detrimental ways.

At this year’s International Youth Day, themed Youth Engagement for Global Action, resolute Miss Olufemi Ajayi, president of ‘Gail Sickle Initiative, Nigeria, raised awareness on the socioeconomic plight of young people living with the sickle cell disease and shared her organization’s efforts to stop the stigmatization and empower the winning warriors to be financially stable and independent.