Who We Are
The Foundation for Leadership & Education Development – FLED – is a knowledge-based organisation established in Nigeria in 1995 as a Charitable Foundation of incorporated Trustees. The strategic mission of FLED is to build the economic and leadership capacities of youths to enable them participate in development processes at the political, economic, educational and social levels. The Foundation works to actualize its mandate through training, public education, advocacy and mass mobilization. We bring an entrepreneurial attitude to our social mission, while acting as capacity builder, educator and facilitator on development issues affecting youths and young people.
How We Started
The idea to establish the foundation was conceived by Joseph C. Ibekwe, a former journalist with the Daily Times of Nigeria, Lagos; on February 17, 1995 following an encounter he had with God, during which God commanded him to “go raise the foundations of many generations…” (Isaiah 58:12b). After consultations with friends and associates, the organization was formally inaugurated on April 17, 1995. The organization has a unique history in the sense that it started during the military regime in Nigeria when there was paucity of funding for NGOs involved in human capacity building for youths, since most foreign donor were more interested pro-democracy and human rights organizations. However, through sheer doggedness and earned social capital, the Foundation has created visible impacts in the lives of thousand youths across the country, through indigenous funding supports.
What We have Become
Over the past 30 years, through hard work and perseverance FLED has grown to become a group of Social enterprise organizations which activities encompass leadership and entrepreneurship development, media and publishing, Real Estate development, Food value chain, fashion, educational development, humanitarian and spiritual advancement in Nigeria and around the world. Some of the Organizations that no make the Fled Group AFrica include Fled International Leadership Institute, Africa Centre for Public Leadership, The Joseph Coaching International, Fled Property Development Company Ltd, Chapel of Grace Transformation Ministry, Inc,
Our mission
The mission of the foundation is “to facilitate access to enhance the leadership and economic capacities of youths to enable them participate in development processes at the political, economic, educational and social levels.
Our vision
We have a vision of “a world where youths are economically independent to assume political leadership responsibilities”.
What We Believe
We Believe:
That development in all its ramifications begins and ends with the God in people;
That people are the change agents in the society they live;
That people should always strive to acquire relevant life skills to enable them contribute to the development of their society;
That every person has the responsibility to help make his/her society a better place for people of goodwill to live in
Our Fundamental Values
Our work is inspired by the following fundamental values that promote human dignity and development. These include Leadership, democracy, entrepreneurship, participation, social justice, prosperity, gender equity, and human rights.
Our Corporate Objectives
- To promote leadership development among the citizens particularly women and youths through training, mentoring, conferences, retreats, awards, etc
- To promote positive youth development and lifelong learning among women and youths
- To promote entrepreneurship development and expand the pool of women and youth entrepreneurs through the teaching and support of entrepreneurship skills acquisition
- To use education as a tool to promote responsible citizenship and quality health among women and youths by acting as capacity builder, educator and facilitator on such issues
- To actively support Education for All Programme (EFA); particularly by providing educational support services to academic institutions through strengthening of Board Governance and facilitating professional skills development programmes for teachers, etc
- To work with other partner development institutions to promote United Nations Programmes relevant to our mandate and focus
- To carry out community projects such as advancement of education and learning, community development projects and other philanthropic activities in Nigeria and elsewhere.
Our Work
The work of the foundation is organized into three main thematic clusters:
- Promoting Leadership & Good Governance
We believe that Good Governance can be enhanced when the leadership and citizenship competencies of youth are enhanced. Therefore;
- We conduct Leadership Skills Enhancement Courses (LESEC) for Secondary Schools Prefects and Students Union Leaders on Campuses.
- We provide adult learning opportunities for youths
- We host mentoring programme for youths
- We mobilize youths for political participation and community development
- We conduct voter education, civic and citizenship education among youths
- Promoting Enterprise & Livelihood
We consider the promotion of private enterprise among youth as key to addressing poverty and livelihood challenges preventing them from contributing effectively to economic development. Therefore;
- We conduct entrepreneurship training programmes for youths and support them to set up small scale private enterprises.
- We engage in livelihood enhancement programme for youth.
- We run a Cooperative Society the provides financial services to youth-enterprise ventures.
- Facilitating access to education and building capacity of teachers
Education should be the centre of all development initiatives. Access to quality basic education is a fundamental human right. Therefore;
- We support Library and Community Resource Centres in disadvantaged communities around the country, through partnership with funders
- We campaign for universal access to education at primary and secondary levels
- We source and place books in community libraries and school libraries in rural areas around the country.
- We engage in advocacy on education to key government officials and institutions, parliamentarians, and relevant development agencies
- We support professional skills development programmes for teachers to enhance quality teaching and learning particularly in classroom management.
Those We Serve
The Foundation mainly works to enhance the human capacity of youths. Therefore, the primary beneficiaries of our progarmmmes come from the following groups:
- Youths and Teenagers across the country, particularly those in disadvantaged environments.
- Teachers in Secondary Schools
- Youth organizations, particularly those in semi-urban areas.
- Community Development Associations that seek to empower youths in their communities.
What We Have Done
- Organized annual Leadership Skills Enhancement Course (LESEC) for more than 5000 prefects in several schools from Lagos, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory since 1998. The Course Content this training has been turned into Book titled College Prefects are Leaders, which since been approved by the Federal Ministry of Education as appropriate for use in training secondary school prefects in Nigeria.
- Organized Inter-collegiate Public Speaking Contests (IPSC) for about 20 secondary schools in Lagos and Ogun States in 2005 and 2006 with more than 250 students participating. Funded by our private partners and the participating schools.
- Organized annual Pre-Campus Life Programme (PLP) for more than 600 SS3 Students in 3 schools (Atlantic Hall School, Global International College & Dansol High School) in Lagos State (2002 – 2003), to prepare them for challenges of independent life on campus. Funded by our private partners and the benefiting schools.
- Held Responsible Lifestyle Programme (RLP) for 2 schools (Dansol High School & Atlantic Hall School) in Lagos State (2001- 2002) to teach them sexual abstinence skills and HIV/AIDS. Funded by our private partners and the benefiting schools.
- Trained more than 150 youths through the annual 4-week Summer Leadership Academy for Youths in Abuja (2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012), featuring leadership training, computer & IT skills, public speaking, & volunteer engagement. Funded by our Board and private partners.
- Hosted annual Clean Up the World Campaign in Lagos State, mobilizing more than 5000 volunteers to participate in local cleanup activities (1998- 2002). Funded by the Clean Up the World Pty, Australia; Australian High Commission in Nigeria; Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Kosofe & Muchin Local Government Councils, Lagos State.
- Conducted Professional Skills Development Programme for more than 500 teachers in Lagos, Ogun and Nasarawa States, and FCT since 2000. Jointly funded by our private partners and the benefiting schools.
- Trained more than 150 secondary school students in an Environmental Leadership Programme (ELP) for Secondary Students in Lagos State (1996-1998) which taught them principles of environmental sustainability, conservation and management. Funded by Nestle Foods Nigeria Plc, West Africa Milk Company Plc, and our private partners.
- Graduated more than 200 Secondary Students from different Schools in Lagos State through the One-year Global Citizenship & Leadership Programme (GCLP)
- –2004). Funded by our private partners and the participating schools
- More than 750 youths have participated in our regular Fled Mentoring Programme (FMP) for Youths since year 2000. Funded by our Board and private partners.
- FLED facilitated the hosting of the National Youth and Peace building Programme for Youths and Students leaders from tertiary institutions in Nigeria (2006 –2008), for the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Abuja during which period, FLED conducted leadership training sessions for students’ union leaders from different tertiary institutions in Nigeria, at different locations nationwide. Funded by Millennium Development Goals Office (MDGs) of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
- FLED Consulted for the Federal Ministry of Youth Development in preparing draft operational Guidelines for the National Youth Parliament, as well as organizing Annual National Youth Week (2008 – 2010). Funded by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Abuja
- Engaged in Third-Party External Implementation Status Report (EISR) Monitoring of World Bank Supported projects in Nigeria with specific emphasis on Malaria Booster Project in Akwa Ibom State (2011). Funded by the Civil Society Social Development Fund of the World Bank.
- FLED Consulted for the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development in hosting 2008 National Children’s Holiday Programme in Abuja. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development.
- FLED participated in the nationwide validation exercise of New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) under the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Nov. 2007 – Nov. 2008. Funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
- FLED was engaged by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to facilitate a Capacity Building Course for Executives of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (May 2008). Funded by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Abuja.
For more information, please contact:
Plot MF 57 Cadastral Zone, KMC Street, Karu Site, Abuja – Nigieria
Tel/WhatsApp: +234-7080157176