TLDR: The Virtues Life Foundation recently concluded its annual NextGen 2.0 summer boot camp, a week-long intensive program designed to equip teenagers and young adults with essential skills, including artificial intelligence and robotics. A key highlight of the event was a pitch competition where participants showcased innovative solutions to societal problems. The top prize of ₦100,000, along with mentorship, was awarded to ‘Agro-AI,’ a project focused on leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance farmland management and boost food production in Nigeria.
The Virtues Life Foundation, an organization committed to promoting the value of human life, has successfully concluded its annual NextGen 2.0 summer boot camp. This intensive, week-long training program, offered free of charge, aimed to equip teenagers and young adults with a diverse set of skills, including leadership, graphic design, robotics, artificial intelligence, and content creation. Seventeen participants, aged 13 and above, registered online for the program, which was supported through internal contributions from members and well-wishers.
Pastor Funmilola Faranpojo, Vice President of the Foundation, highlighted the transformative impact of the camp at the closing ceremony. She noted that the program not only imparted technical skills but also significantly boosted the confidence and self-esteem of the participants. “Some of them came in very shy. On the first day, one participant couldn’t even stand before an audience, but today she presented confidently. We believe these skills will translate into productivity in their lives and communities,” Faranpojo stated. She further emphasized the foundation’s commitment to accessibility, adding, “we believe no human is lesser than another. That’s why we make this training accessible to everyone, especially those who cannot afford such opportunities.”
The pinnacle of the event was a pitch competition where teams presented projects designed to solve real-world societal problems using their newly acquired skills. The winning project, ‘Agro-AI,’ was developed by a two-member team led by Alexander Faranpojo, a 17-year-old student of Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management at Covenant University. Agro-AI proposes the innovative use of artificial intelligence to improve farmland management, provide crucial analytics to farmers, and ultimately boost food production across Nigeria. The project secured a cash prize of ₦100,000, courtesy of ResQ Health Africa, along with a valuable mentorship opportunity for its further development.
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Alexander Faranpojo explained the inspiration behind their winning solution, stating, “We were inspired by the current food shortages and inefficiencies in the supply chain.” He articulated their vision, adding, “With Agro-AI, we want to help farmers increase their yields and, in the long run, strengthen national food security.” All participants received certificates of completion, and the Virtues Life Foundation announced its commitment to continued mentorship and follow-up support beyond the boot camp, ensuring that the ideas developed during the program are nurtured and brought to fruition. The foundation also expressed plans to expand the NextGen initiative in the coming years and called upon government and corporate stakeholders to support similar youth-focused capacity-building programs.
