The Africa Caribbean Heritage Alliance in partnership with Voice Nigeria hosts a 5-day Bootcamp training in Abuja. Project named: “NOW- Us Award” (Nothing about us Without Us Award).
The Now Us Award is a project orchestrated at empowering young Entrepreneurs,
CBOs and NGO’s which provide small grants prizes of $10,000, $15,000, and
$25,000 respectively.
It is organised by the Africa Caribbean Heritage Alliance and
sponsored by ‘Voice Nigeria/OXFAM and funded by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
The ‘Now Us Award’ is in it’s second stage, from the selection of beneficiaries to the
screenings. Currently at the stage of training the organizations to pitch their proposals, i.e. the bootcamp training, where the 1st, 2nd and 3rd winners will be
carefully selected. 
The 5-day- Boot Camp training commenced on Monday, the 13th of June, 2022
and ends on Friday, 17th of June, 2022.
The day 1 of the bootcamp had the programmes manager welcome all right holders and facilitators, introduction followed by a welcome speech by ACHA’s president, Prof. Okama Ekpe Brook. The twenty selected right holders that made it to the this stage, delivered their proposals in 10mints. Each giving reasons why they deserve to win the Grant prize and how it will be spent in their various NGO’s/Organisation. They had tea break to calm their nerves and lunch.
There was also the ACHA moment, between the facilitator and the rightholders. Questions and answers, games, edutainment. The day one ended with taking group pictures.
Representatives from Lagos State Government is on the list of guest speakers in the course of the training. The bootcamp will come to a close on Friday 17th June, with a dinner and edutainment.
The Now-Us Award is partnered between Partos, Spindle and the Voice Team to celebrate inclusion as part of the Annual Partos Innovation Festival.
This project aims to promote inclusive initiatives, triggering empowerment of excluded groups which are often the hardest to reach in our society. Therefore, innovative approaches to strengthening their capacity to lobby and build advocacy as well as their empowerment processes are essential through linking and learning platforms.
Such platforms encourage the sharing of lessons learnt and provide fora for grantees to tap into and gain mutual understanding and empowerment of the most marginalised and discriminated groups.
This project is implemented in Nigeria by the Africa Caribbean Heritage Alliance, ACHA through Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Non-Profit Organizations (NGOs) and Community Based Organizations, (CBOs) as a means through which the voices of the marginalized are heard and inclusion of all thematic areas accepted at all levels. The target groups usually referred as rightsholders include: Vulnerable, Elderly and Youth
Indigenous People and Ethnic Minorities
Women facing exploitation abuse and or violence
People with Disabilities
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people.
The goal of this bootcamp is to create an enabling environment, encourage conversations in safe and secure spaces where participants will understand the “Now Us Award” concept, overall project framework and consolidate their collective voices in celebration of unsung heroes and heroines. These efforts help to take our communities one step closer to a responsive and inclusive society.
At the end of the bootcamp, participants will be well prepared through various trainings and group discussions to pitch their ideas and stand a chance of winning one of the small grants.
The participants will also learn about the Voice Initiative in Nigeria and other upcoming grant opportunities.
