The cheers and laughter of children combined with beautiful colors were the highlight of the Kiddies Career Fair. Irrespective of their unique abilities every child is special and has genius potential, this is a philosophy that Narnia Educational Group was willing to propagate through the event. The turnout and participation of the public were top-notch contributing to a great event.
Narnia Educational Group is a social enterprise based in Freetown that intends to fill in the vacuum for growth in the skills set and development of children in Africa. We implement better holistic alternative approaches to child development, caregiving and education. For nearly ten (10) years with the campaign “start them young”, our institution has worked towards harnessing leadership and entrepreneurial skills at the very beginning of a child’s educational journey and worked towards removing social barriers and stereotypes surrounding different careers through their signature program “Career Friday” which happens every other Friday at their center.
On the 9 th of February 2023 they launched the inaugural “Kiddies Career Fair” with the theme: “Celebrating the Genius in every child”. It was a public event with stakeholders and media houses in attendance but by invitation only.
A total of 20 Schools in Freetown participated, represented by five (5) children and accompanied by two (2) teachers. Collaborators representing different works of life were present to showcase their brands, share innovative ideas and teach the children with live demonstrations about what they do and its importance/ impact for individuals and how that supports the growth and development of communities and livelihoods in Sierra Leone. The collaborators were: Little Lambs Limited, Bondumani Arts Gallery, DJ Mose Academy, Yak Jones Foundation, Innovation Axis, Lambano Sierra Leone Limited, Izelia Textile and Garment Factory, Skool Grind SL, Reunion Freetown and Rotaractor Club of Freetown Sunset.
The event objectives were met:
– The children, guests, parents and the general public inspired and motivated to pursue careers that would contribute to development and innovation in Africa.
– Helped break down stereotypes and stigmas, associated with certain livelihoods and careers.
– Introduced children to many different careers in STEM and STEAM such as aeronautics, AI jobs, fashion designing and artists. i.e.: the traditional jobs and the future of innovation
– Helped very young children understand and take ownership of their hidden talents and ideas.
The event was proudly supported and sponsored by:
Robbin Michael Consulting and Risk Advisory Services, Young Sportsmen Club (YSC), AYV Media Empire, Eminence Africa, Ariana Diaries, Cascade Event, Metro Cable and Girls Behind the Lens.
By:
Ariana Oluwole
