Facebook launches leadership community programme in Nigeria, two other countries

Nigeria and two other African nations, South Africa and Kenya, are to benefit from Facebook’s newly-launched Accelerator Programme to provide community leaders the opportunity to drive empowerment and mentorship in their areas.
Kiran Yoliswa, Strategic Partner Manager, Communities Sub-Sahara at Facebook, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.
Yoliswa said Facebook Community Leadership Programme, being a six-month accelerator programme, would provide training, mentorship and funding to help leaders grow their areas.
She said a total of $3 billion would be awarded to 80 programme participants worldwide.
Yoliswa noted that selected leaders would spend three months learning from experts and coaches with a customised curriculum to create a plan to grow their communities.
She said: “They will spend the next three months iterating and executing on their plans, with funding and support from their networks.
“Our mission is to empower the leaders who foster community, offer support to people, encourage others and make real change.
“We are investing in leaders because we believe and know they will make significant contributions to today’s social challenges, by sharing knowledge and information.
“The community leaders will also help people to connect with others that share same interests or passions for a good cause.”
She said in 2019, the FCLP provided training, funding and support to 115 leaders.
Yoliswa said the leaders reported that their projects impacted over 1.9 million lives through online community support, use of helpful resources and other activities made possible by the programme.
She said: “Twelve community leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa said their projects impacted over 80,000 lives.
“The community leaders include Africa Farmers Club (Kenya), 52-Week  Savings Challenge (Kenya),  Let’s Cook Kenyan Meals, #WomenWorkKE (Kenya), Still A Mum (Kenya) and The Youth Hub Uganda (Uganda).
“Others are Women and Realities of Disability Society (Kenya), Mamalette (Nigeria), Docteur Nakamou  (Senegal), LGBTI community, Human Rights (South Africa), Dream  Factory Foundation (South Africa) and Salt River High Tutoring (South Africa).
“Facebook has also built new tools to help community leaders add new members and moderate conversations in their Group.”
She said the community accelerator programme was one of the many investments Facebook was  making in leaders.
Yoliswa said: “Community leaders from the selected programme countries, including those without a presence on one of Facebook’s apps, are welcome to apply.
“Details about the programme are applicable to countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya.”