Our Youths Got Talents.

I am Rikki Richard Chinedu Nwajiofor, a Nigerian. I am a movie Producer, an Actor, a Journalist, a Youth Activist/Leader and a social crusader. I have been into Youth sensitization and empowernment for few years now. I was the Secretary General of National Youth Council of Nigeria and the present Continental President of African Youth  Entertainment Hub (AYEHUB). I am the CEO of Face of Made in Nigeria and the Founder of Rikki Nwajiofor Foundation.

I am fully into Youth empowerment through Talents hunts at the grassroots. We tour round the country, scouting for the talented indigent Youths who have no access to record labels, production houses or entrepreneur technocrats that would train, mentor and showcase them to limelight so as to attain financial independence.

I believe that when the youths are meaningfully engaged, especially in Africa, the society will be safe because an idle mind is the devil's workshop.

Face of Made in Nigeria is into Youth empowerment through the entertainment industry. We are into Talent Hunt here in Nigeria,  poised to take millions of Nigerian Youths out of the street so as to reduce the poverty level in Nigeria. 

We are also propagating the patronage of made in Nigeria products so as to build our economy and create employment opportunities for the teeming Nigerian Youths. We believe that if the demand is high,suppliers will need more hands and as such our Youths will be gainfully employed. 

We tour round the country, at the grassroots, scouting for the talented indigent Youths; entertainment-wise and in inventions/creativity. When we discover them, we train them and showcase them to limelight so as to attain financial independence. We believe that an idle mind is the devil's workshop; thus when Youths are meaningfully engaged they will avert from crimes - society will be safe.

We are solving the problem of unemployment and high poverty rate among the Nigerian Youths. We are also lending efforts in solving the problem of insecurity and crime as perpetuated by the unemployed idle Youths.

The rate of unemployment in Nigeria is very high and the poverty level, among the youths, is astronomically alarming. As a result of unemployment and poverty, so many youths have taken to crime and this has orchestrated unwanton cases of kidnapping, terrorism, robbery, prostitution, illegal migration and the related vices. 

Idle mind is a devil's workshop. Among 8 out of 10 youths in the suburbs are talented and gifted in one way or the other but their problem is who to fine-tone, shape, mentor and showcase them to limelight.When they don't find such succor, majority of them decide to take to criminal acts. 

Thus, this is what we are into; harnessing and nurturing these young talents. It's not just the talented ones in the entertainment/creative industry but also some of them who artechnically innovative. 

My project is TALENTS HUNT; scouting for raw talents among the Youths at the grassroots, especially the indigent ones among them. When they are discovered, we harness them, nurture them, mentor them and showcase them to the limelight in their different areas of specialization so as to attain financial independence to cater for themselves and those who depend on them. 

My project is targeted at the grassroots - the suburbs in the different states in Nigeria. 

We are solving the problem of unemployment and high poverty rate among the Nigerian Youths. We are also lending efforts in solving the problem of insecurity and crime as perpetuated by the unemployed idle Youths.

The rate of unemployment in Nigeria is very high and the poverty level, among the youths, is astronomically alarming. As a result of unemployment and poverty, so many youths have taken to crime and this has orchestrated unwanton cases of kidnapping, terrorism, robbery, prostitution, illegal migration and the related vices. 

Idle mind is a devil's workshop. Among 8 out of 10 youths in the suburbs are talented and gifted in one way or the other but their problem is who to fine-tone, shape, mentor and showcase them to limelight.When they don't find such succor, majority of them decide to take to criminal acts. 

When the talents are discovered, we harness them, nurture them, mentor them and showcase them to the limelight in their different areas of specialization so as to attain financial independence to cater for themselves and those who depend on them. 

The poor are highly neglected and left behind, deprived of opportunities to showcase the talents they have. In the same vein, young women in the lower class are often left behind and they grow with the mentality that they are only good in the kitchen and in the bedroom. 

As against these anomalies, my project gives the poor Youths an enabling opportunity to showcase their talents just as the rich ones already have. It gives the young ladies reorientation that they can actually be financially independent and can have a voice in the society. we give young ladies equal opportunities 

As a a Youth Activist/Leader and a social crusader, I have been into Youth sensitization and empowernment for few years now. I was the Secretary General of National Youth Council of Nigeria and the present Continental President of African Youth  Entertainment Hub (AYEHUB).

I have interacted with the Youths in many ways and this gave me wealth of experience to discover the core problems of Nigerian youths, especially the indigent ones. This core problem is what my project is set to solve. 

I am very passionate about this project because of the testimonials from the youths we have groomed and showcased. 

Aside that, it gladens my heart to light up more candles - to empower the youths as much as i can. I crave for a safe society and I believe that if the youths are meaningfully engaged, we shall enjoy a safe and better society. 

This is because I am a movie Producer, an Actor, a Journalist, a Youth Activist/Leader and a social crusader. I have been into Youth sensitization and empowernment for few years now. I was the Secretary General of National Youth Council of Nigeria and the present Continental President of African Youth  Entertainment Hub (AYEHUB).

I have also experienced What it means to be abandoned, dejected and neglected, my talents not withstanding. I was given an opportunity to showcase my talents and leadership prowess and I proved my worth. Since then I have been growing and waxing stronger in the youth Constituency. Thus, I want to give back to the society. 

When I was about to carry out my first Talent hunt project, all the politicians and government offices/parastatals I solicited for partnership and/assistance turned my request down. 

I didn't get any sponsorship from anywhere. I went ahead to organize it and it was a huge success. I had to sell a parcel of land that I owned, so as to carry out the project. It was successful and the joy I saw in the youths who participated in it gave me consolation and encouragement. 

I grew from rank and file in the leadership of National Youth Council of Nigeria. I was the head of productions and having exhited talented capacity, I was made the Director in the Directorate of Arts, Culture and Tourism. I piloted the affairs of the Directorate so well that when I contested for the position of the Secretary General, I won unopposed. 

In the entertainment industry too, I have held several positions and exhited leadership prowess. Presently, I am the continental Presisent of the African Youth Entertainment Hub (AYEHUB). 

What makes my project unique is that it is building human capacity and helping in growing of the economy of my country. 

When the talented and innovative youths are discovered, harnessed, nurtured and groomed into financial independence, they also create wealth by consolidating on the foundation already laid for them through the empowernment. 

Such persons have, hitherto, been drawn out of poverty and they themselves would also rescue their families from the shackles of poverty. By so doing, we are making Nigeria a safe place and the world a better place and also creating a circle of financially independent Youths. 

My project will have a strong positive impact on the Nigerian society and the world at large as we nurture and groom the future leaders - the youths into financial independence.

From the evidence of the ones we have executed, some persons have been rescued from the shackles of poverty and today they can fend for themselves and their families, through their given talents and creative minds. 

The unique nature of my project is the fact that we do not just hand over "fish" to these talented Youths, we teach, mentor and grom them on how to fish, using their their talents and innovative prowess. They could wallow in abject poverty, in those suburbs, and possibly take to crimes and terrorism if not discovered and mentored. Some of them would possibly lose their lives on the course of criminal acts and terrorism. These are young people who are well talented and who, if groomed and mentored, can turn to great youth leaders tomorrow. 

Currently my project has discovered and is grooming 121 talented Youths. However, more than two thousand youths have participated in our projects so far.

In the next one year, I project to have more than 500 youths being nurtured and groomed as over 20,000 youths are expected to take part in my projects within the next one year. 

In the next 5 years, I project to have about 4,000 - 5,000 youths whose talents would be harnessed and groomed into financial independence, by my projects, as I expect about 150,000 youths to take part in my projects in the couple of next 5 years. 

These projections can only be realized when there are funds and sponsorships. 

My goal is to have a circle of financially independent and patriotic youth leaders trained and nurtured via my projects; youth leaders who will never forget where and how they started and who will owe their lives to humanity especially to the betterment of our country Nigeria. To create youth leaders who would become great leaders of our country and world at large.

I have a goal to create a Nigerian society that is safe and free of terrorism and criminal acts often perpetuated by idle Youths. This can be achieved by getting the youths off the streets and getting them meaningfully engaged via their talents and innovative prowess. 

I have a goal to create a society, within my reach, where young ladies are given equal opportunities to make their choices and thrive in their respective chosen careers like the men do. 

The major barrier I have is finance. 

Technically, I have good hands on board who are ready to offer their services at a minimal cost while some of them offer their services at no cost. I have Nollywood Veterans and key players in the entertainment industry willing to offer their services. 

Legally and culturally, the coast is clear. In market-wise, entertainment industry is a huge market and promises a good return in investment if a good amount of capital is invested. 

The finance barrier can only be overcome through the assistance of donors and investors. 

However, people who have been groomed and empowered are willing to give back to the society through the same project that projected them to limelight. 

Aside that, if I am able to get a good Investor, I intend to create a renowned record label and production house where we can begin to sign up the discovered and groomed Artistes. When we sign them up, we project and market their products (musics and movies), and then get some percentage from the sales ploughed back for the running of the project. For instance, the ratio can be 65:35. While 65% of the sales goes to the artiste, the remaining 35% is retained for the running of the projects and remunerations. 

In such a way, within the couple of 5 years, we shall have no need to seek for grants or sponsorships; we should have been financially independent. 

Non for now.

My business model is to take the Youths off the streets and get them gainfully engaged via their talents in the entertainment industry and innovative world. 

By so doing, I create, via my project, a safe society devoid of unwanton criminal acts which would have ordinarily been perpetuated by the idle Youths who we now meaningfully engage via the project.

The entertainment industry is a big market of it's own and it is the highest Employer of Nigerian Youths. 

I intend to create a renowned record label and production house where we can begin to sign up the discovered and groomed Artistes. When we sign them up, we project and market their products (musics and movies), and then get some percentage from the sales ploughed back for the running of the project. For instance, the ratio can be 65:35. While 65% of the sales goes to the artiste, the remaining 35% is retained for the running of the projects and remunerations. 

In such a way, within the couple of 5 years, we shall have no need to seek for grants or sponsorships; we should have been financially independent. 

If I am able to get a good Investor, I intend to create a renowned record label and production house where we can begin to sign up the discovered and groomed Artistes. When we sign them up, we project and market their products (musics and movies), and then get some percentage from the sales ploughed back for the running of the project. For instance, the ratio can be 65:35. While 65% of the sales goes to the artiste, the remaining 35% is retained for the running of the projects and remunerations. 

In such a way, within the couple of 5 years, we shall have no need to seek for grants or sponsorships; we should have been financially independent. 

None yet

I seek to raise funds through grants.

However, I am open to any investor who is ready to invest for a long term.

I seek for an average of $30,000 - $50,000.

My estimate of 2020 budget is $45,000, to help me achieve the aim of this year's project. 

However, whatever available fund can still make the project take place but not as totally planned. 

The major barrier I have in this my project is finance. 

Technically, I have good hands on board who are ready to offer their services at a minimal cost while some of them offer their services at no cost. I have Nollywood Veterans and key players in the entertainment industry willing to offer their services. I have also some Youth mentors and Entrepreneural technocrats who are willing to offer their services in mentoring these Youths.

Thus, I apply for this Elevate prize because I believe that with the finacial assistance from the Elevate prize, I would have surmounted this hydraheaded financial barrier. As soon as this barrier is surmounted, this project will be putting smiles on the faces of these indigent Youths who are highly talented. It would also save thousands of young ladies from being subjected to underserved lifestyles and shoot them to limelight where they would form a formidable voice in the society, having excelled in their chosen careers of talents.

My goal is to have a circle of financially independent and patriotic youth leaders trained and nurtured via my projects; youth leaders who will never forget where and how they started and who will owe their lives to humanity especially to the betterment of our country Nigeria. To create youth leaders who would become great leaders of our country and world at large.

I have a goal to create a Nigerian society that is safe and free of terrorism and criminal acts often perpetuated by idle Youths. This can be achieved by getting the youths off the streets and getting them meaningfully engaged via their talents and innovative prowess. 
I have a goal to create a society, within my reach, where young ladies are given equal opportunities to make their choices and thrive in their respective chosen careers like the men do. 

I would love to partner with Movie industries across the globe, to seek for synergy and exportation of these young talents. 

I also seek to partner with record labels across the globe, who can sign up these discovered young Artistes who are firebrand and as good (if not better) as Davido, Wizkid et al.

I seek partnership with some online cinemas, for showcasing of the movies that will be produced, using these young talents alongside veteran Actors.