The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Africa

As one of the world’s leading initiatives to engage with, and promote positive accomplishments amongst the world’s youth population, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has continued to inspire and help young Tunde Folawiyopeople achieve their potential throughout the world. In no other region has this been more apparent than in the continent of Africa.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award empowers those between 14 and 25 years old to be active, enthusiastic contributors to the world around them. In Africa this has culminated in a variety of initiatives and projects set up across many different countries in that region. Those who run the awards hope that through engaging with young people in numerous places, that the biggest possible positive impact can be made. The success of the organisation can be seen through a range of impressive statistics which show that each year 300,000 people take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, many of whom come from difficult or underprivileged backgrounds.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has a team operating in Africa which has had a significant number of successes. This team coordinates with projects across the African continent ensuring that an increasing number of young people in that part of the world have access to the life affirming, confidence building, and fun activities which are offered by the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Edwin Kimani and Martin Matabishi, in their capacities as the Africa Regional Director and Africa Regional Programme Manager respectively, work with 21 national operators across the continent as well as a further 20 independent Duke of Edinburgh’s Award centres.

Initiatives carried out in Africa have included engaging with communities in Ghana through a charity called Village by Village. Through volunteering with this organisation, individuals under 25 can add this achievement to their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Volunteers contribute their time to help teach English to children of West African communities in Ghana, assist construction workers to complete the important amenities and buildings required for the region to prosper, coach children in a variety of sports, assist professionals in providing health care and health clinics, offer business advice to developing businesses, or capture the spirit of Africa in photographs which will go on to promote the cause.

Initiatives such as Village by Village show the impact that the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has on an international level, providing both, philanthropic services, as well as helping young people develop into well rounded and conscientious adults.

Operating since 1956, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award offers a World Fellowship initiative where successful business people and philanthropists such as Tunde Folawiyo (for more information please visit this Tunde Folawiyo bio) continue to contribute their time and resources to helping the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award change the lives of as many young people as possible, for the better.

Come September: DofE’s Annual Team Challenge

As a worldwide leader for youth advocacy, the DofE implements a wide variety of events to further connect with DofE participants and the communities that surround them. In keeping true to a quest for excellence, the exciting DofE Challenge will take place in September of 2014. The event will take place over a two-day period in which teams will embark on a variety of thrilling activities to test both their physical and emotional strength through challenges. Tunde Folawiyo and other proponents of the DofE and its mission for a brighter future for today’s youth may find the DofE Challenge to be amongst the most exciting events sponsored by the organisation.

Tunde FolawiyoThe themed event will take place on the 20th to the 21st of September in the UK’s Peak District. Teams comprised of four to six participants will be subject to a £2,250 upon registration. The number of teams may range from 20-25, demonstrating the great popularity of the annual event. Teams will camp out overnight, hiking more than 30 miles spanning a two-day period. During this time, they’ll tackle a variety of activities like archery, abseiling and rafting.

To many, the event serves as a mini expedition during which participants will encounter various mental and physical obstacles. A thrilling atmosphere and a great sense of comradery and team morale make the experience a most memorable one for participants.

Day One

Participants will arrive at the designated Peak District location during the early morning of Saturday, 20th of September for registrations and team briefing. Teams will then embark on a 15-20 km hike during which they will visit a series of control points spanning an exciting eight-hour time period. Upon completion of the day’s trek, the participants will dine, relax and rest at the campsite in preparation of an exciting day 2.

Day Two

After a tasty breakfast and a fun race walk filled with challenges, attendees will participate in a water activity. Upon completion, a prize ceremony will take place with participants free to leave by 2:30 pm.

Since its establishment, the DofE has long sought to promote a healthy, active lifestyle and a great sense of community amongst its participants. Events such as these serve as a great bonding experience, encouraging friendly competition and teamwork. Tunde Folawiyo and other proponents of the DofE across the UK, Africa and beyond may continue to regard events such as these as a wonderful stepping stone toward a brighter future for today’s youth. For information about more charitable organisations throughout Africa, view Tunde Folawiyo Dailymotion page.

The extraordinary accomplishments of DofE participants

Being familiar with the DofE, Tunde Folawiyo is probably aware that it has been in operation for several decades now; without a doubt, its enduring popularity is due in no small part to the flexibility which it offers, in terms of activity selection. Participants are given the opportunity to follow their passions, and delve deeper into the subjects that truly interest them.

Tunde FolawiyoFor Christian Owen, a young deaf student, the lack of understanding regarding BSL (British Sign Language) was his biggest source of frustration. He decided to use his involvement in the DofE to do something about this; he wanted to make this language more accessible to the general public, and so chose to produce the world’s first ever manual for BSL.

Prior to this, the only options for those who wanted to learn BSL were to take formal lessons, or to use the standard BSL dictionary; whilst the latter is a very valuable resource, it is widely acknowledged as being a very complicated book for beginners to use. Christian hoped to provide a less daunting, self-help style manual, which would encourage people to learn the basics of BSL, and thus help to break down the barriers of communication between the non-hearing and hearing communities. His manual has been very well-received, so much so that Christian has continued on in his efforts to improve access to this language, by organising BSL lessons during after-school hours.

Kate McDevitt is another participant whose involvement in the DofE allowed her to discover where her interests lay. Despite suffering from severe health issues – she was born with hydrocephalus, a hole in her heart and three kidneys – Kate persevered with her Award activities.

Due to her own health problems, she was particularly passionate about the volunteering section. She chose to raise money for HAFAD and Children in Need – two charitable organisations which most people, including Tunde Folawiyo, will have heard of. She also ran campaigns relating to disability rights. A progression and training employee at HAFAD, named Esme Young, praised Kate for her determination and hard work. HAFAD (now known as Action on Disability), aims to create a fairer society, in which people with disabilities are afforded the same opportunities and rights as others. Based in West and Central London, this organisation not only campaigns for disabled people’s rights, but also provides such people with access to activities which enable them to live independently..

In addition to raising money for charities, Kate also undertook many other activities, including serving as an assistant in a nursery, hiking, swimming and sailing. Discussing her experience, Kate said that the programme had given her confidence, and shown her that she can achieve anything that she puts her mind to.

Folawiyo has been a supporter of the DofE for quite some time. More information about the Goodwill Ambassador Tunde Folawiyo is available online.

History of the Duke of Edinburg’s Award

As a global leader in youth development, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award continues to inspire millions of outstanding young people throughout the world. Since its establishment in 1956, the charity has sought to encourage millions of youth to explore their true potential. Through promoting a variety of life skills such as physical fitness and volunteerism, the DofE ensures its thousands of yearly participants are equipped to go forth and initiate positive change within their respective communities. Tunde Folawiyo and millions of others throughout the UK and abroad may continue to regard the DofE as a great source of encouragement for exceptional youth worldwide.

Tunde FolawiyoThe organisation was first spearheaded by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh as a programme for boys. Consisting of four segments – rescue, expeditions, public service and fitness – the programme sought to provide a stable environment for young boys to acquire vital life skills to aid in their progression toward adulthood. By 1957, over 7,000 boys had begun DofE programmes, with one thousand Awards achieved since its establishment. One year later, the DofE for Girls is established, focusing on the areas of living, interests, adventures and services. The programme’s first Gold Award was presented at the famed Buckingham Palace. During this same year, pilot projects were initiated in eleven other Commonwealth nations.

The turn of the 1960s saw over 40,000 young people participating in the DofE programme, demonstrating the phenomenal growth achieved in just a few short years. By the middle of the decade, three area and regional offices were established throughout the UK, with the programme operating in more than twenty countries around the world. By 1975, one million participants were enrolled in the DofE.

The programme grew exponentially over the next decades, with HRH Prince Edward achieving the Gold during 1986. The following year saw the DofE reach a great milestone with its 100,000th Gold achieved. By the end of the 80s, the number of participants surpassed two million with over one million DofE awards achieved by 1992. In the coming years, the numbers continue to soar, with the charity celebrating its 50th anniversary during 2006. By 2009, a variety of initiatives had been implemented to provide participants the utmost rewarding experience. Tunde Folawiyo and others involved with the DofE may continue to forge a great impact upon the future success of millions of young people around the globe. Follow Tunde Folawiyo projects to learn more of the worthy causes he supports.

Earning the Duke of Edinburgh Award

Developed in 1956 by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh award is meant to foster the development of physical, practical and social skills in teenagers, and engage them in volunteer projects to better themselves and their communities. The programme resembles the Scout Association and other youth programmes, but does not require any sort of uniform or membership in a particular organisation. From its origins in the UK, the Duke of Edinburgh award and variations thereof are currently dispensed in over 140 countries.

Earning the Duke of Edinburgh award requires achievements in four fields: service, skills, physical recreation and adventurous journey. The Duke of Edinburgh established the award in coordination with Kurt Hahn, a German educator who established a philosophy of youth education that remains influential today. The four categories of achievement the award requires are based on Hahn’s “Six Declines of Modern Youth,” which include declines in imagination, fitness, compassion and skill related to technological changes infiltrating modern life. Hahn wanted to cultivate attitudes of social interest and adventurous spirit in modern youth instead. The first iteration of the programme was administered in part by John Hunt, famous for leading the 1953 British expedition to Mount Everest, the first confirmed successful ascent of the earth’s highest mountain.

Tunde Folawiyo Recent participants have screened films at the Cannes Film Festival, competed in National Geographic Magazine’s Mission Cover Shoot competition, and launched micro-financing campaigns in the Solomon Islands. In 2013, the Duke of Edinburgh charity showed a ten percent increase in new participants, and over one hundred thousand Duke of Edinburgh awards were earned in the UK. The number of global participants is currently tallied at 850,000, with over 8 million total participants in the programme’s fifty-eight year history.

In addition to the program for youths, the organisation also coordinates a network of generous donors who wish to work in the support of youth development worldwide. The Fellowship supplies a capital investment which secures the future of the International Award Association. Founded in 1987, the World Fellowship meets all over the world to promote the organisation. The World Fellowship Anniversary Dinner is held once a year, often at a palace in London. Nigerian businessman Tunde Folawiyo is also a fellow of the Duke of Edinburgh’s World Fellowship. For more information on his work in the business world and elsewhere, readers can see a Tunde Folawiyo executive profile here.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award: Opportunity, Art and Charity

Tunde Folawiyo With a history spanning over fifty years, the Duke of Edinburgh Award programme has affected the lives of countless youths in the UK and around the world. The programme, commonly called DofE, was started by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. To counteract the modern social forces, described by German educator Kurt Hahn, that were making young adults less imaginative, adventurous, and socially minded, the DofE encourages participants to achieve goals in five categories: volunteer work, physical activity, practical skills, adventurous journey, and a residential category that requires participants to live away from home.

One opportunity for service and adventure approved for the Duke of Edinburgh Award criteria is the Village by Village project, which works to improve lives in rural Ghana. Volunteers can travel to villages untouched by tourism and spend two to four weeks engaged in meaningful service within these communities. Opportunities include working to teach English to children, construction jobs, or serving as a coach for a youth football team. Roles as photographers, videographers, business advisors and healthcare workers are also available. The charity was founded by Neil Kerfoot in 2006, with the goal of reaching one hundred villages by 2016.

The non-profit organisation ‘Films Without Borders’ is another group working within Africa that is independently affiliated with the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation. ‘Films Without Borders’ works in Rwanda, Israel, Palestine and elsewhere with the goal of giving teachers the training required to teach schoolchildren the basics of film, so that students are then able to produce their own short films. ‘Films Without Borders’ then brings this work to a global audience, as one film is selected from each country to go on to an international film festival, along with the student team that produced it. The goal of the organisation is to unite young people from all over the world, and to help them overcome their differences through the medium of storytelling.

The DofE is supported by a global network that gathers at events globally to promote the programme, including at an exclusive World Fellowship Anniversary Dinner, usually held in a London palace. The Duke of Edinburgh’s World Fellowship represents just a few of the award’s many supporters, including Tunde Folawiyo, who admire the efforts of the Foundation to encourage the enrichment of youth worldwide. Readers interested in Tunde Folawiyo’s work can interests can find YouTube videos from Tunde Folawiyo online.

Duke of Edinburgh Award Continues Inspiring Youth

Tunde FolawiyoAt an exclusive gala at Windsor Castle sponsored by the Halcyon Gallery, the Duke of Edinburgh World Fellowship recently celebrated twenty-seven years of inspiring world youth. From its founding in the UK, it since has spread in various versions to 140 additional countries. Young people worldwide are participating in the program, and community leaders, in business, politics and education, are doing their part to support the programme globally. Supporters of the Duke of Edinburgh Award are dedicated to the enrichment of young people, including Tunde Folawiyo. Those interested can view this Tunde Folawiyo profile.

Award holders include 22-year-old Vionaver Booysen, of South Africa, who has earned all three awards available in the programme: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Booysen was raised in a situation of adversity, but felt a strong desire to work to make a better life for the people in her community. She became involved in a community-action organisation, of which she is now the Assistant Youth Coordinator. She remains active in The President’s Award for Youth Empowerment, the form the Duke of Edinburgh award has taken in South Africa.

Patricia Yeboah, a young woman from Ghana, used her work with the Duke of Edinburgh award to focus on issues faced by women in her local community. In Ghana, women have higher rates of illiteracy and fewer employment opportunities than men. Yeboah addresses the roles of women in her community by organising a photography club for young women. The group meets weekly to share their photography and their experiences, with half the costs of film printing covered by the Head of State Award, which is Ghana’s iteration of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. The local school, which provides a space for the group to meet, says that the program is having a visible impact on the students’ well-being. Yeboah’s work has also increased local participation in the Head of State Award program.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award programme continues to grow. The World Fellowship promotes the Duke of Edinburgh Award, which was founded in 1956 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to award young people for living lives of service, acquiring skills, and learning about the world through travel and adventure. The programme has attracted over eight million participants worldwide.

The accomplishments of South African DofE participants

In South Africa, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is known as the President’s Award for Youth Empowerment. Over the past three decades, approximately 110,000 youths have gotten involved in this programme, and in doing so, have not only discovered new talents, developed new skills and become more well-rounded individuals, but have also had an incredibly positive impact on their communities. In this article, we’ll be discussing some of the extraordinary accomplishments of the young South Africans who have completed the Award.

Those who visit South Africa regularly, such as Tunde Folawiyo, may know that it is a nation of economic extremes; although there are some extremely wealthy areas, the country also has very high rates of unemployment and poverty. Schalk Burger, a young student who was studying at a prestigious secondary school, was acutely aware of this problem, and after joining the President’s Award, he decided to do something about it. In 2010, he launched Clothing-4-Children, a garment recycling initiative.

He asked all of his fellow students to gather up any high quality, unwanted clothing they had lying around their homes. Tunde FolawiyoThe generous donations of his peers encouraged him to continue with this project, resulting in him teaming up with the Blue Bulls Rugby Union. This collaboration enabled Schalk and his brother to get 41 other schools around the country involved in Clothing-4-Children. To date, he has managed to collect more than 588 tonnes of clothes, which have an estimated value of $32.1 million.

Emily Mabasa is another participant with an inspiring story. As a physically disabled young person, completing the Award was very challenging at times; however, Emily’s involvement in this programme did wonders for her, helping her to uncover a love for activities such as creative writing, dancing and design.

The Service section had a particularly profound effect, and led to her working on setting up a skill centre, which will be aimed specifically at those living in poorer homes, where children are often expected to take on the role of head of the household. She hopes that this centre will be able to teach young people some practical skills, so that as they grow up, they won’t be reliant on government handouts to survive.

Tunde Folawiyo, and anyone else who is familiar with the Award, will probably understand just how many opportunities it provides participants with. Her involvement in the President’s Award has opened up a great many doors for Emily; for instance, during Youth Month Commemoration, she and three other participants were invited to an event called ‘Youth of South Africa – Legends of the Future and History Makers’. This year, Emily will also be travelling to South Korea, to serve as a representative of the Award at the International Gold Event.

Anyone who, like Folawiyo, is interested youth development initiatives like the President’s Award, and would like to learn more about this subject, should follow Tunde Folawiyo projects online.

DofE Gold Award ceremony celebrates the achievements of hundreds of youths

Tunde FolawiyoJust a few weeks ago, the GAP (Gold Award Presentation) was held at St. James’s Palace in London. Anyone who knows of the DofE, like Tunde Folawiyo, will understand how significant this ceremony is for the award recipients; it is a celebration of years of perseverance and hard work.

Hundreds of people attended the event. Amongst the recipients were several youths from Bath, including Rioghnach Hannan, a university student. She was given the opportunity to chat about the DofE with Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex. Rioghnach discussed her expedition experience to the Swiss Alps, noting that this was a particularly harrowing aspect of the programme for her, as an avalanche occurred during her stay.

The DofE also led to her taking up both the clarinet and tennis; she grew to love these activities so much that, despite having finished the program, she has continued to keep them as hobbies. Like the rest of the DofE participants, Rioghnach also completed the volunteering section of the award. She chose to work as a carer for disabled people living in Cheltenham, and spent one week helping out at Helen and Douglas House, a children’s hospice. Being familiar with the DofE, Tunde Folawiyo understands how beneficial this type of volunteer work can be, and how great an impact it can have on the volunteer’s character.

Speaking about her overall experience, Rioghnach stated that the program had been fantastic, and had enabled her to prove to both herself and others that she was capable to committing to something, and persevering even when it proved difficult.

Another teen, named Coco Story, also collected her Gold award. She completed the final stage of the programme whilst studying for her A-levels, carving time out of her schedule for all of the activities, which included voluntary work, a residential cookery course, and a three-day hike in the Yorkshire Dales. Coco also took up hockey, and learned how to drive. She explained that these were things which she had never attempted before, and this had made the experience all the more interesting and rewarding.

There were also five students from Northwood, Middlesex in attendance; Zafirah Kalla, Tammy Samuel, Roshni Patel, Katherine Makris and Isobel Cotterell all received their Gold Awards. Their chosen activities included a challenging trek in the Brecon Beacons, taking up instruments, learning to play tennis, and participating in an archaeological dig.

The aforementioned Folawiyo is a well-known entrepreneur, who is passionate about youth development; to obtain additional information about his areas of expertise, visit the Tunde Folawiyo Slideshare page online.

Baker Tilly Uses Cycling To Raise Funds for DofE

As one of the world’s foremost proponents for youth development, the DofE frequently partners with a variety of trusted organisations in order to further its influence throughout the United Kingdom and beyond. Seeking to promote a variety of valuable life skills such as fitness and volunteering, the DofE and its teaching will prove immensely beneficial to many communities throughout the region. Recently, a group of cyclists with Baker Tilly, an accountancy firm with offices around the UK, began a nationwide charitable bike ride to raise funds for the DofE and Anthony Nolan. These efforts along with those forged by Tunde Folawiyo and many other advocates for youth development will continue to inspire millions of young people around the globe.

Tunde FolawiyoThe journey, which began in London and ended in Leeds ahead of the beginning of the famed Tour de France, covered a terrain of 660 miles over a 10-day period, with 23 stops spread amongst the firm’s United Kingdom offices. Great enthusiasm surrounded the event, with a large number of individuals from all over the UK joining together in solidarity to accomplish a common goal. Over 300 of the company’s staff participated in the trek in hopes to raise over £10,000 toward charity. Volunteer riders joined in the race’s 11 legs which saw approximately 30 riders travel between 50 to 80 miles each day.

The event took place over three stages, with the first spanning London through Bristol, then secondly from Glasgow toward Edinburgh, concluding with the final section from Birmingham toward Leeds on 4 July. A number of guests participated as well, ranging from Santander UK’s Colin Woolinscroft to Oriel Securities’ Simon Bragg. Njinga Cycling was on site to support the cause as well, providing mechanics and other support for riders throughout their journey. These culminated efforts will provide immeasurable support for communities across the country. Martin Rodgers, Chairman at Baker Tilly, praised the Tour as a means of fundraising, thanking supporters of the initiative for their time, efforts and participation.

Throughout its history as one of the UK’s foremost charities for youth development, the DofE has long fostered valuable relationships with many respected organisations throughout Europe. With the continued support of DofE advocates and the communities that surround them, millions of young people will continue to reap the rewards of the charity’s Award programme. Tunde Folawiyo and others involved with the DofE may regard the cycling tour as a significant step toward achieving a brighter future for today’s youth.