ANCSDA , TEDx Awka partner to change Anambra youths, communities’ narrative

ANAMBRA State Community and Social Development Agency (ANCSDA), an agency of the state government that is currently implementing World Bank Assisted Community and Social Development Project- Additional Financing (CSDP-AF) has partnered with Technology, Entertainment and Design (Tedx) Awka towards changing the narratives for  Anambra youths and the communities.
TEDx is an international media organisation which advocates ideas worth sharing, impacting and reshaping the future of the nation and its citizens. The organisation is celebrated for its semi-annual conferences that bring together some of the world’s best influencers, leaders and inventors.
The conference, which is streamed to over 7 million people yearly and translated into over 13 languages has had the likes of Steve Jobs, Bill Clinton, Richard Branson, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and others.
Recently, the licenses of TEDx in Anambra State with the full support and sponsorship of the Ministry of Economic Planning, Budget and Departmental Partners (MEDP), under the leadership of Commissioner Mark Okoye, organised the inaugural TEDx Awka event in Anambra, tagged, “Changing the Narratives” of which the mission was to shift mindsets of the participants to think in line with the fast-paced nature of global systems and challenge themselves to play active roles in shaping their community.
The vision of the event was in line with the UNs Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4, Quality Education, 5 Gender Equality, and 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth.
TEDx Awka aims at providing its participants with access to inclusive knowledge of the speakers, encourage better understanding of gender equality and awaken in the audience the drive to engage in or create decent work which will contribute to the economic growth of their communities.
Some notable speakers at the event were  President-General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, Executive Director, Samson Itodo, YIAGA AFRICA, Emeka Okoye, Semantic Web Architect & Knowledge Engineer, Philipa Mark-Okoye,  Global Strategy Consulting Specialist & Manager, Chizor Malize, CEO, Brandzone Consulting LLC, Arinze Chilo-Offiah, Executive Director, Anambra State Small Business Agency (ASBA), Ike Ikerionwu, certified mediator in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Ameh A Zion,  Mental Health Specialist and Founder,  Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative, MHEL, Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Consumer Brand Expert & founder,  Ngee Lifestyle blog and Talk show.
In his goodwill message at the event, the General Manager, ANCSDA, Mr Chudi Mojekwu represented by the Operations Manager, ANCSDA,  Uche Nwaizugbo stated that  ANCSDA as an agency under MEDP currently implementing Community and Social Development Project-Additional Financing (CSDP-AF) in poor communities of the state is partnering  TEDx Awka by way of sponsorship in ensuring that     Anambra youths have their minds and energy redirected toward developing their capacity to fight poverty and assist developing their various communities with their acquired skills.
He reminded the youths among the participants that they are change agents and hope of the nation, and as such, the state is looking up to them for future focused leadership and sustenance of developments in their communities.
Mojekwu thanked the state governor, Chief Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano for his giant strides in ensuring that CSDP-AF became effective in the state, and have so far reduced poverty and empowered many poor rural community members in the state.
The event also created a good platform for showcasing the various micro projects implemented in Anambra communities under CSDP-AF majorly driven by the youths in those poor communities.