The Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu announced that both himself and his daughter, Oge Elumelu were at the forefront of the launch of Generation Unlimited (Gen-U) Sahel.
The Gen-U Sahel launch event featured important contributions and pledges to find lasting solutions to the problems which were taking the Sahel by storm. The Sahel region currently faces one of the worst, fastest-growing displacement crises in the world today, yet it is one of the most forgotten regions. The displacement is a result of armed groups perpetrating acts of uninterrupted and indiscriminate violence against civilians, forcing about 2.9 million people to flee across the region, within the country and across borders.
According to Elumelu, the launch of Gen-u Sahel will bring sustainable investment and adequate interest to the Sahel, creating an environment that is required to turn the “demographic doom to an economic boom.” Elumelu reiterated that the Sahel region has been a victim of insurgency, violence, and hardship for many years. He also addressed the huge potential existing in the region – which has the world’s youngest population with 194 million people under 25 years old – which remains untapped. 64.5% of the entire population is under 25 years, but the population has not had adequate opportunities made available.
The Gen-U initiative is important as Tony Elumelu explains that it will forge partnerships between governments, private sectors, development agencies and civil society from across the world, to build an Africa that is dominated by highly skilled African youth. This initiative brings forward a unique private-public partnership, and aims to provide 100 million Sahelian youth with skilling, entrepreneurship, employment, and social impact opportunities by 2030.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation was also announced to be a global partner and co-implementor of the programme in the Sahel. The Foundation’s expertise, grassroots network and solid knowledge of the region will aid to achieve the aims of the initiative.
This initiative is very helpful to youths in the Sahel, who can see their hopes reignited after the problems which they have been facing for years on end. It’s also a glimmer of hope for other regions in Africa, who can begin to gain inspiration from the available programmes prepared by the Gen-U Sahel initiative.