Funmilola Awosanya stays creating solutions to solve unemployment issues
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Funmilola Awosanya has over five years of experience as an insurance broker, is an advocate for women and girls development, and business development in the nonprofit sector. She has a Higher National Diploma in Insurance from Lagos State Polytechnic, Nigeria, and is the founder of an online one stop-forum, where she trains youths on vocational skills, entrepreneurial skills and business development, and has also advocated for quality education.
As the Founder of oppourtunities.com, she has led entrepreneurship programs that equip young women and men on hand skills and empowers them through entrepreneurship, business, career, leadership and advocacy. Funmilola has volunteered as a lecturing and overseeing committee, youth advocate, and agent of change, for diverse organisations including Young African Leadership Initiative West Africa Region, Makoko Dream Project and Young Transformation Initiative.
Achievements
Funmilola is currently the National Networking and Events Committee Chair for Nigeria YALI RLC Alumni. She is also a mentor on Cherie Blair Mentoring Women in Business program, Mentor on Style Mark Mall Enterprise and program facilitator for different young leadership programs.
My Social Enterprise, the challenge and impact
My social enterprise is an online platform that bridges the gap between opportunity providers and seekers thereby enabling youths from different parts of the world access to timely and life changing opportunities. The enterprise also advocates for quality education and ensure that youths are adequately empowered so as to create innovative entrepreneurs for a sustainable future. The social enterprise ensures that youths have access to different local and international opportunities which in turn create more avenue for people to access quality education.
Hear her:
“The social enterprise was created in 2016 prior to my completion of my Higher National Diploma from Lagos State Polytechnic. After thoroughly thinking, I realised that most youths are always idle and unemployed on completion of their undergraduate and high school education. What better way to make a difference and help add value to their lives than creating an online social enterprise that brings opportunities their way. Opportunities they can leverage on which will equip them for a better future.”
The enterprise also organises various empowerment programs so as to equip young men and women on marketable skills so as to increase the number of innovative entrepreneurs in Nigeria which will in turn create safe space for a prosperous Nigeria and Africa.
Through the forum, over 5,000 youths from different parts of the world have been able to access quality and timely information of opportunities which has in turn make them change makers in their respective countries. Over 10 young Nigeria youths have benefited from our forum through the various opportunities posted on our forum like Mandela Washington Fellowship, Obama Foundation Fellowship, Erasmus Mundus scholarship, Young African Leadership Initiative, African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative program, African Change Makers Fellowship and a host of others.
Till date we have been able to empower over 70 young Nigerians in various vocational skills like Tie and Dye, Ankara accessories making, game programming and others which has increase the number of vibrant SMEs in my community. This empowerment programs were carried out to help create more jobs and reduce youth idleness.
Challenge:
Being in a competitive world, we are faced with many challenges ranging from finance, partnership and funding. . It’s easier for the male counterpart to have access to fund but thank God for the actions taken up by different organisations like the United Nations, United Nation Women, SheLeadsAfrica, and UK government to ensure gender equality and women’s empowerment in relation to SDGS Goal 5, the female species are now getting full attention they deserve and it has been easier for them to access the necessary tools and grants needed for them to scale up their business.
Rewards:
My greatest reward is the smile and happiness I saw on peoples face when they are selected for one or two programs. I get messages almost everyday from people appreciating my work and the impact the forum is making.
Future Goals:
Five years from now, I hope to have created my entrepreneurship hub in Lagos State where I will be able to train, mentor and create safe spaces for local start-ups and entrepreneurs both within and outside Nigeria. The hub will also serves as a platform where youths can find their bearing, trained and empowered to build their skills and grow their business.
I also hope to have empowered more local start-ups through collaboration and partnership with entrepreneurial organizations like Tony Elumelu foundation, Spark by Business Day, Leap Africa, StyleMark Enterprise and other entrepreneurial organizations.
Advice to fellow young leaders:
Never give up on your dreams even when the future is uncertain. In your entrepreneurial journey, be consistent, take more entrepreneurial online and onsite courses and be the change your society needs.
To connect with opportunities in Nigeria via her platform, use the contact below
https://www.facebook.com/funmilola.awosanya
https://twitter.com/Oppourtunties
https://www.facebook.com/oppourtunities/