Last year June, my best friend and I officially set up Triift Africa. We plan to create sustainable wealth for Africans by unlocking the growth potential of small businesses and young people... Yemisi Ajeojo, Community Developer, Co-founder Trifft Africa speaks with Campus Vapor's Nnamuchi Ezinne and Ajagbe Blessing on her business, love for community development and how youths can make the most of their lives.
Can we meet you?
My name is Yemisi Ajeojo I currently work as project analyst and economic Advisory trainee in the Public Private Partnership Office in Kwara State, Co-founder of Triift Africa and Ilorin Digital. I am very passionate about helping micro and small businesses grow, be profitable and sustainable. I am also very passionate about community development and helping young people recognize and maximize resources around and within them.
You are a Tedx speaker, What does it take to speak at Tedx events?
Yes, I had the opportunity to speak at the first Tedx that took place in Bowen University in 2018. There are different ways to be a Tedx speaker, but the first thing is to have a message you want to share and be sure that you can share it as articulately as possible within a short period of time maximum 12 minutes. This is very easy to achieve with practice. You can put yourself forward to speak at a Tedx event or just make sure that everyone around you knows the things you are passionate about and you would like to share this knowledge at Tedx event. That way, people are able to recommend you for opportunities when they arise.
Can you tell us about your service year, how did the achievements make you feel?
My NYSC year was one of the pivotal moments of my life. I camped in Bauchi and redeployed to Kwara State where I had no family and had prior to that time never been to. I worked as project analyst and economic Advisory trainee in the Public Private Partnership Office in Kwara State, started my business Triift Africa and organized the first ever Ilorin Digital Summit which had over 600 people in attendance and speakers from different parts of the country sharing about how to leverage on the opportunities that digital platforms provide for employment. God helped really, along with a lot of hard work, determination and dedication. I learnt to delegate and to depend on the people around me when I needed to in order to achieve a greater good.
What is Ilorin Digital Summit about?
When I organized the event, I had spent 7 months in Kwara State as a Corps member. During that period, I realised that Kwara State had over 10 higher institutions which accounts for approximately student intake of 60,000 people.
In addition, at least 7000 young people are posted to serve in the state yearly. This is a target audience that is capable of greatly influencing the employment sector and influencing the economic trajectory of the state. However, there are not a lot of opportunities in place for this young people to productively engage themselves.
Also, this target audience with the ability to significantly affect the economy are unaware of how to leverage digital platforms to create employment for themselves, tap into already existing employment and even promote their current business to a wider audience.
So, the event was about helping young people know about the various opportunities that digital platforms and teaching them how to leverage on these opportunities.
This event was not only very successful, but also impactful with over 600 people in attendance.
The event had key people in both the digital media and tech sector from different parts of the country present to share their knowledge and experience including representatives of Payant, Dot, Cowrywise, Efiko, Google and Facebook.
Formidable organizations also leveraged on the event to provide discounted and even free training on different courses relevant to the workplace as well as made various opportunities including jobs and free use of their co-working space available to the attendees.
Few weeks after the event, we organized a free Microsoft office training because I realized that a lot of Corps members like myself including students in higher institution could not use basic Microsoft Office packages.
The impact of these events have motivated me to look into how to solve issues related to enterprise, employment and employability by teaching people how to leverage on tech tools.
You run a business platform, Triift, what is it about.
Four years ago, when I came home for the summer holiday, I had the opportunity to work in a microfinance bank.
I had to beg my dad for almost a month before he let me work. It was later I got to understand that perhaps he was hesitant about me working there because he was trying to protect me from the sexual harassment women sometimes face in the work place but let us not digress.
I was there for about a month and really took interest in how microfinance institutions can really help businesses at the local level especially businesses owned by women and young people. I saw the opportunities and gaps. I have always been very passionate about community and business development, so I knew it was something I will love to pursue long term.
If you ask my mum, she will tell you that the one place I will most likely never work in is a commercial bank but I have always been very interested in the operations of microfinance institutions and their impact in the community.
So, last year June, my best friend and I officially set up Triift Africa. We plan to create sustainable wealth for Africans by unlocking the growth potential of small businesses and young people. We do not have it all figured out yet, but we are willing to learn by doing it afraid. After all, clarity comes from taking action.
It has been just over 6 months, we have stories to share about the businesses we have interacted with, the amazing people that have made the work we are doing possible and what we have learnt so far.
It has been a lot of hard work and sacrifice as we both have full time jobs. So, we are thankful to the amazing people who have brought us this far with their financial and non-financial support. We are also thankful to the businesses and individuals who have trusted us to support them financially and non-financially.
There is so much work to do, because we have you on our side we know it won’t be difficult.
Triift Africa is a social enterprise unlocking growth opportunities for small businesses and individuals in Africa. We back Africa’s audacious entrepreneurs and helps them grow great brands around their ideas.
Our big goal is to raise a digital, financially literate, and a socially empowered generation that can contribute tangibly to Africa’s economy as well as hold the keys to our sustainability as a continent.
We provide microloans, advisory, training and other support services to small and micro businesses.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy sharing knowledge via content on social media, my blog or speaking engagements. I also enjoy travelling, trying out new food, watching movies and reading.
What does it take to put together an event?
Planning, organization and willingness to talk to and even pay people who can help you create a better experience.
I current help people plan events and projects in such a way as to create maximum impact and be mutually beneficial to all parties involved. So, if you need help do reach out.
Would you agree that studying abroad has been an advantage?
This a very good question. For a long time, when people implied that I am able to do things I do or get the opportunities I get because I studied abroad, I used to dispute it. But after a while, I had to really sit down and acknowledge my privilege.
Being able to leverage on the quality of education, experience and opportunities I had while studying in the UK mainly in Birmingham and Oxford has really given me a pedestal to access certain things.
What I now try to do is help young people create these experiences for themselves here. So, what are the things that studying abroad helped me achieve, and how can I help young people here develop these things without going abroad.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently working towards becoming a chartered global management accountant.
I am also currently writing my first book on how young people can leverage social media for opportunities.
Also working towards planning the next Ilorin Digital Summit and creating a structure around setting up more communities around Nigeria using tech to solve issue that relate to employment, employability and enterprise.
In addition, I am growing Triift to be able to offer more support to small and micro businesses not just in Nigeria but Africa at large.
I wanted to help more people achieve their goals, so I set up an accountability group where I help people set goals and create actionable steps towards achieving their goals for the year.
These are some of the things I am working on at the moment.
What is your advice to youths who may still be unemployed?
This period can be really hard, please do not lose hope. Reach out to people and offer your skill and time so you stay productive. Read, develop yourself by getting new skills and don’t stop applying for jobs.
How Can Prospective Clients Reach you?
You can reach me on whatsapp wa.me/09035333965
You can send me an email yemisi@triift.africa
You can also reach me on facebook, Instagram or Linkedin- Yemisi Ajeojo.
Email address: yemisiajeojo.com
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