The 2025 Global Leadership Conference (GLC), hosted by JA Worldwide in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, brought together leaders from across the JA network for a week focused on youth empowerment, innovation, and global collaboration. JA Africa participated alongside Member Nations, partners, and global stakeholders, marking a significant week of recognition and progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A major highlight was the panel session featuring Simi Nwogugu, CEO of JA Africa, where she joined global leaders to discuss the digital divide, artificial intelligence, and the future of work for young people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the session, she emphasized the urgent need to democratize problem-solving skills, stating:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPartnering for impact has to be more than replicating a solution. It has to be about distributing the ability to solve.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This message was widely referenced throughout the conference and became one of the most notable takeaways from GLC 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JA Africa was honored with the JA Access Award for the JA\u2013Z Zurich Foundation Social Equity Program (SEP). The award recognizes organizations expanding access to education, economic opportunity, and critical life skills for underserved youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since its launch in 2023, SEP has:<\/p>\n\n\n\n SEP is supported by the Z Zurich Foundation, whose partnership has enabled JA Africa to scale access and inclusion across multiple regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SEP was developed to address Africa\u2019s growing youth unemployment crisis, especially for young people who are NEET (Not in Employment, Education, or Training). The program focuses on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Implementation partners include government ministries responsible for education and youth, financial institutions such as microfinance organizations, Corris Bank, Ecobank, and Equity Bank, digital partners including Orange and Vodacom, and multiple industry partners that support employment opportunities for alumni.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The GLC also featured the Junior Achievement Americas Company of the Year Competition, strategic sessions with JA Worldwide\u2019s leadership, and impactful engagements focused on authentic leadership, program quality, and cross-regional cooperation. Coordinated programming across the week helped bring together diverse teams and global partners for productive dialogue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JA Africa returns from GLC with strengthened partnerships, global recognition, and renewed commitment to expanding access and opportunity for Africa\u2019s young people. With continued support from the Z Zurich Foundation and the broader JA Worldwide network, SEP will continue scaling its reach and impact across the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The 2025 Global Leadership Conference (GLC), hosted by JA Worldwide in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, brought together leaders from across the JA network for a week focused on youth empowerment, innovation, and global collaboration. JA Africa participated alongside Member Nations, partners, and global stakeholders, marking a significant week of recognition and progress. Simi Nwogugu Featured …<\/p>\nJA Africa Wins the JA Access Award<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nAbout the Social Equity Program (SEP)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nA Strong Week for Global Collaboration<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Looking Ahead<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n