New Product, Event, Strategic Partnership, Case Study + moreš„³
Today's newsletter is pretty loaded with information and updates.
Late last year, when I visited my big sister in Nigeria, she told me a familiar story that brought tears to my eyes.
Sheād been looking for scholarship opportunities for her son. And, like many African mothers, she paid ā¦3,000,000+ to some grifter posing as a scholarship facilitator. He promised heaven on earth. Yet, several months after payment had been confirmed, this fellow never delivered any results.
Until today, no refund has been received. And no shadow of scholarship either.
Itās a familiar story because I experienced a similar trauma. Before coming to Ghana, I gained admission into Regina University in 2011. I paid my acceptance fee. An acquaintance promised to help me facilitate travel to Canada but never delivered. I became tired of hearing stories that run like cars and decided to enroll in Radford since they had Canadian and U.S. affiliations. I figured I could obtain a US-quality education in Ghana. The rest is history.
So, last year, I left my sisterās home in Nigeria with a resolute goal in mind. I was determined to do everything I could to improve access to study-abroad opportunities for African parents and students.
Today, I have some news.
Hereās what weāve been able to achieve so far:
š£Introducing SFANās Database of International Scholarships & Opportunities for Entry-Level Talents
My team and I brainstormed long and hard on the challenge. We eventually came up with the idea:
Develop a tool that will automatically find, collate, and make easily accessible all verified, legitimate, relevant, and applicable scholarships and opportunities for African entry-level career folks.
Put the listings in a database for everyone to access and use as they see fit.
Itāll be the most robust and easily accessible database of legit scholarships and opportunities, direct from source to prospect.
ā No middle-man.
ā No facilitator.
ā No sub-domain.
ā No ads, redirects, or any such thing.
The beta version already has over 80 listings. And weāve made it 100% FREE to access for the next 90 days.
Hereās how to access/use the database:
Enter your email to unlock the database.
Scan through, click on your preferred scholarship or opportunity, and apply on the providersā page.
Thatās it!
If you find it valuable, feel free to spread the word.
Obviously, it costs money to build and keep the database running. So, if youād like to encourage our efforts, consider donating here (contact tomchrismails(at)gmail.com for any assistance).
Iād also appreciate feedback and any thoughts.
Quantum Leap Career Fair Returns: April 25!
After two years hiatus, we are thrilled to be bringing back our pioneering annual entry-level career fair: Quantum Leap Career Fair.
Quantum Leap Career Fair is an annual entry-level career fair that helps job seekers and employers connect and communicate face-to-face. The event provides a platform for participants to gather information on career options, build a network of contacts with peers and industry leaders, identify job openings or secure an interview, and stimulate insightful career discussions that can help them make quantum leaps in their career journey.
The 2017 edition hosted +250 participants and was hailed as one of the forums that spurred the ongoing conversation around the future of work in Ghana. Join like-minded career professionals to explore practical tools and training for developing skills and accessing resources for career growth.
This yearās installment will be held on the theme: Proof of Skill, AI, and the Future of Work.
Save the date: April 25, 2025. The proposed venue is the British Council Accra.
For partnership and sponsorship inquiries, please schedule a call here: https://sfanonline.org/partner#schedule-call
SFAN x AIM Congress Partnership š¤šæ
We are pleased to continue our partnership with the esteemed Annual Investment Meeting for this yearās event, which is happening from April 7 to 9, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
This high-profile event will bring together participants from 175 countries, including heads of state, policymakers, UN agencies, investors, innovators, multinational corporations, academics, start-ups, and media professionals. The gathering will focus on navigating shifts in the global investment landscape and driving economic development.
Additionally, it will provide an opportunity to strengthen existing business relationships and foster new international collaborations.
For further information, please contact irene.obarra@aimcongress.com.
From Unemployment Stat to Tech Star š«
Idris Abdulkareem grew up fascinated by science and nature, leading him to study geography at the University of Lagos, where he excelled in remote sensing (top 6%) and explored machine learning. After graduating with a BSc in 2018, he freelanced in data entry before joining a Nigerian eCommerce startup.
But the company downsized. And he lost his job.
His passion for data analytics drove him to ReadyforWork cohort 5 in 2022. The program transformed him from an unemployment stat into a skilled professional, resulting in his current employment at Interswitch today.
Be inspired by his riveting case study that captures his career journey so far: https://sfanonline.org/case-studies/idris-abdulkareem
World Bank Policy Event š¤©
The World Bank Group and the Government of Ghana recently held a high-level event at Kempinski on the theme: New Insights on the Business Environment in Ghana: Exploring the World Bank's Business Ready (B-READY) Report.
Iām glad to have participated in the event. You can find the B-READY report here.
This meeting follows a previous small-scale session at the World Bank office to discuss the Bankās policy document on Ghanaās business landscape.
Introducing New Board of Advisory Member: Tracy kyei āØ
ICYMI: We are pleased to welcome Mrs. Tracy Kyei to SFAN's board of advisors!
Mrs. Kyei is the Head of Marketing at Samsung Electronics West Africa (Ghana Office). She's passionate about advancing digital skills development, especially among women and girls.
Tracy has been supporting SFAN through press/media network engagement in Ghana. She was a panelist at Quantum Leap Career Fair 2019, see the recap here.
In fact, she is our prestigious Community Star Award winner for 2024. Look out for that news!
š©šæāš»In Other News:
SFAN was spotlighted in the Nasdaq Entrepreneurship Centerās Milestone Markers: Big Wins. Bold Moves. Breakthrough Ideas.
SFAN Speakersā Community member and CEO of Ghana Venture Capital Association Amma Gyampo is on a mission for local capital mobilization.
Thatās all I have for you this time.
Thanks for reading,
Tom-Chris.