Ebunoluwa Yussuf
2022 IVLP Impact Award Project: Empowering the Girl Child through Vocational TrainingNigeria
Ebunoluwa Farinde-Yussuf is an electrical graduate turned fashion designer. She is the founder and creative director of Gallereno Works, a creativity-oriented social institution focused on fashion design, and owner of the brand Oge Ibile, which means “indigenous fashion.”
Oge Ibile started as a hobby for Yussuf in 2004 and has now grown into a progressive and trusted designer of fashion accessories offered in a variety of style, trends and patterns that reflect aestheticism. The brand also offers trainings and internship programs that focus on empowering the girl-child through vocational training. Yussuf and her brand have provided vocational skills training to over 1,000 people in 20 communities in Nigeria and are the recipient of the Youth with Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN) Award, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women, Cherie Blair ‘Road to Growth’, Vital Voices Grow Fellowship, Mandela Washington Fellowship and USADF Business Plan Competition.
IVLP Impact Award Project: Empowering the Girl-Child through Vocational Training
Women represent half the population of Africa and have suffered from unjust social heritage and discriminatory practices, both in terms of gender equality and in the market. This reflects on their social, educational, and cultural situations. Having faced many challenges sponsoring herself through school, Ebunoluwa realized that more than 300,000 young women in her community face considerable economic challenges and that over 70% of young women turn to prostitution to survive. About 80% of the women in her community have no job opportunities and those with jobs earn less that the $90 per month minimum wage.
Ebunoluwa’s project aimed to empower women to realize their limitless potential. Through different workshops, the project trained 241 students from two different schools to learn technical skills that they can translate into economic success. Some trainings included bracelet making and textile creation, in addition to many more. One participant claimed that she is already planning to make Ankara bracelets for her neighbors with the skills she learned. Additionally, local schools are planning on making this project a foundation of their annual career day.
"The principals were very happy and would like me to make it a yearly event. The participants were excited and appreciative." -Ebunoluwa
IVLP Exchange Experience
Ebunoluwa was a participant in the IVLP Project Promoting Economic Growth and Trade in the Fashion Industry, organized by the U.S. Department of State and FHI 360.
Ebunoluwa's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "My IVLP experience taught me to prioritize learning and growth. Spending time with other inspiring entrepreneurs enabled me to learn from their successes and failures."
U.S. Communities Visited Virtually
Huntsville; AL; Washington, DC; New York City, NY; Akron, OH; Seattle, WA