Nokia explains support for LEAP

Remmy Nweke

Communications giant, Nokia, has explained its recent support for a Nigeria-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability and Professionalism (LEAP) Africa.

The support came in the form of renewed commitment to the NGO which was not disclosed in figures for the next two years but expected to affect the lives of over 360 youth nationwide within the period.

Country manager, Nokia Networks Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Revmatas, said that Nokia’s reason for supporting LEAP Africa was established direct relationship which is in line with the telco values for people and community where Nokia operates.

“Wherever we operate in the world, community involvement is an intricate aspect of our mission and helping to prepare future leaders to be actively engaged citizens and leaders in their local communities.”

This, he said, is very strategic to Nokia mission statement for global involvement, stressing that the latest support is a way of spelling out Nokia’s positive impact on society which transcends immense research and development efforts.

“The cutting edge products and services which it continuously churns out and their impact on business and economic productivity,” he said.

Also commenting, Area Manager for Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia, Nokia Customer and Market Operations, Mr. Vithesh Reddy, said the telco has been engaged in funding the training of youth peer leaders in HIV/AIDS prevention in the last eighteen months.

“LEAP Africa’s considerable progress with this program encourages us to commit to supporting an expansion of the programme, to include the core of the Youth Leadership Programme of LEAP, which will run for another two-year period,” he said, even as it is now supported by the International Youth Foundation, a global NGO.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LEAP Africa, Mrs. Ndidi Nwuneli, noted that with the latest support her organisation has committed to expanding the scope and impact of its core Youth Leadership Program.

“This initiative will focus on training 500 young people in life and leadership skills and assisting them to implement high impact community change projects along seven thematic areas that include education, business and economic development, health, law, media, arts and culture, science and technology and the environment” she declared.

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