2022 In Review: Celebrating Your Support in Driving Social Impact Across Africa
Dear partner reading this,
Thank you for being a part of our 2022 success story at the Sterling One Foundation.
We are grateful for your partnership, because with you, the year 2022 was eventful and replete with wins and achievements. Our dedicated team at the Sterling One Foundation designed and delivered a variety of programs and events across key thematic areas – healthcare, education, gender equality, climate action and food security, as well as projects focused on advocacy and ecosystem partnership building.
Here are highlights of the positive impact we created in 2022 with your support.
Sterling One Foundation Hosted the Maiden Edition of the Africa Social Impact Summit
The Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) is a gathering of policymakers, investors, DFIs, business leaders from the private sector, chambers of commerce, non-governmental organizations, academics and representatives from the international community to deliberate and find innovative and sustainable solutions to Africa’s key developmental challenges.
The hybrid event themed, ‘Rethink, Rebuild, Recover: Accelerating Growth for the SDGs’ held in partnership with the United Nations Global Compact Network Nigeria and other notable partners on July 13-14, 2022, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, Nigeria. ASIS convened delegates from 66 countries and different leaders from Africa to redefine the pathway to transformational success for the continent while sharing knowledge for a unified approach, alignment of purpose and for sustainability. Leading speakers and participants asserted that the Summit was timely because of the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, the global crisis in terms of the war in Ukraine, and disruptions in the supply chain that have resulted in increasing poverty in Nigeria and the entire African continent against the backdrop of the decade of action for the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Please click here for the full report of ASIS 2022.
ASIS 2023 is billed to hold from August 10-11, 2023 in Lagos, Nigeria and you can find more information here.
Sterling One Foundation and the British Deputy High Commission Hosted a Media Dialogue with Climate Actors
Climate change is one of the defining issues globally today because it is an urgent and potentially irreversible threat. In commemoration of the International Day for Climate Action, Sterling One Foundation and the British Deputy High Commission hosted climate stakeholders to a media dialogue to increase awareness while promoting collaboration and accountable reportage by the media.
The dialogue, had the theme: “The Transition to a Circular Economy – Partnerships to Solve Pressing Challenges” at the British Deputy High Commissioner’s residence in Lagos. It was designed to promote media support for effective communication and to raise awareness on critical issues with priority for Climate Action and the transition to a circular economy.
Sterling One Foundation Won the ECOSEA 2022 Award
Sterling One Foundation was recognized for its strides in combating climate change in Nigeria with the ECOSEA 2022 Award for Most Outstanding Foundation in Environmental Sustainability.
Sterling One Foundation has prioritized contributions to recycling, better waste management and building of a sustainable environment. It was also celebrated for designing what is described as a grassroots intervention that is leaving positive footprint in coastal communities.
Sterling One Foundation Engaged Education Stakeholders at ADEA 2022 Triennale
Sterling One Foundation joined other key players within the African educational sector to discuss issues affecting learning in Africa at the 2022 Triennale hosted by the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA). ADEA is a forum for policy dialogue and has evolved into a pan-African institution based within the African Development Bank (AfDB).
It is also a network of policy-makers, educators and researchers, and a catalyst for educational reform. It is recognized today as being a major actor in the processes of dialogue, sharing and learning for qualitative change in education aimed at promoting Africa’s development.
The 3-day event held in Mauritius provided the opportunity for stakeholders to discuss the effects COVID-19 has had on education in Africa among other challenges. One of the sessions which had our CEO, Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe, focused on the ‘Impact of COVID-19 in African Educational Systems’. She also shared some of the strides the Sterling One Foundation has made in the education sector.
Sterling One Foundation and UNDP Hosted the Social Impact Breakfast for Financial Institutions
Sterling One Foundation in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) hosted financial institutions to a discourse on the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP). The event which had leading financial institutions in attendance focused on ways each of the participating organizations could be a part of this youth empowerment partnership initiative between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded by the European Union.
Sterling One Foundation Won the CSR Award of Excellence
The Sterling One Foundation received the AS+A Communications’ Award of Excellence for Corporate Social Responsibility as recognition of its positive impact across Nigeria. The award was in recognition of the foundation‘s developmental legacies in the areas of health, education, and environment, in partnership with its corporate partner, Sterling Bank.
Sterling One Foundation Hosted GBV Advocacy Movie Screening
As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence and efforts to reduce cases of gender-based violence in Nigeria, the Foundation hosted the private movie screening of CHATROOM, to highlight the impact of the different forms of abuse women face, cultural traits that fuel them and ways victims can get help. The screening was held in partnership with the Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) and had the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Lead in Lagos, Dr. Somefun give the keynote address alongside the special guest, the first lady of Ogun State, Mrs. Abiodun.
The CHATROOM which has the tagline ‘Break the Silence’, tells an inspiring story themed on gender-based violence, an issue most African societies talk about in hushed tones. The screening which was held at Ebonylife Cinemas also featured an interactive session which gave viewers the opportunity to share their thoughts on what could be done to reduce violence against women and girls, drawing insights from their various communities.
Sterling One Foundation Partners Lagos State to Launch EKOSHA
To ensure all Lagos state residents, including its vulnerable population, have access to health insurance and do not have to pay out of pocket in line with Universal Health Coverage priorities, the Lagos State government through the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) established EkoSHA (Eko Social Health Alliance) in partnership with Sterling One Foundation as the crowdfunding partner.
EkoSHA is an alliance of private institutions, public institutions, development and multilateral partners and individuals and is designed to mobilize adequate funds to help the vulnerable residents of Lagos state access the health insurance through the Lagos State Health Plan. EkoSHA will also provide access to social welfare empowerment programs so that beneficiaries do not only have health insurance but are provided support that will gradually lift them out of poverty. The Foundation provided crowdfunding support for the scheme and more information can be gotten here
CEO of Sterling One Foundation Won the Leadership Impact Award in Nonprofit Management
Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe received the Leadership Impact Award in Nonprofit Management at the CSR Reporters Philanthropic Awards 2022 on Social Impact and Sustainability Practices. She was recognized for her exemplary role in leading Sterling One Foundation to champion social transformation in Nigeria.
As we look back on the year, we are grateful for the work of the many individuals and institutions we partnered with and supported and we are awed by all we’ve accomplished together. From building the capacity of 60,000 youths with employability, vocational and entrepreneurship skills across the country to protecting reproductive freedoms, saving the lives of cancer patients, and supporting not for profit organizations alongside our partner, the Nigerian Network of NGOs, our work was felt directly and indirectly in various communities across the country and continent.
We hope to expand our impact in the year ahead by engaging in strategic partnerships that will accelerate Africa’s journey towards sustainable development.
We thank you immensely for being on this journey of positive change with us. We look forward to working with you in 2023.