The Digital Empowerment Grant from the Jerry Eze Foundation for youth engaged in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology has seen a remarkable increase, climbing from $300,000 to $525,000, thanks to new donations from influential individuals and corporate entities.
Pastor Jerry Eze, the founder of the foundation, shared this exciting news in a follow-up video posted on social media, providing an update on the initiative initially unveiled earlier in the week.
“Just yesterday, I mentioned that the grant was approximately $300,000 targeting around 100 young individuals,” Pastor Eze remarked. He further explained that Tonye Cole pledged funds for 20 additional recipients, contributing $60,000, while Tony Elumelu also supported another 20 young persons, adding an extra $60,000 to the fund.
Additionally, Pastor Eze revealed that Nuvion Bank and Flutterwave collaboratively sponsored 35 beneficiaries, contributing a total of $105,000 and pushing the overall grant total to $525,000.” Therefore, the total amount of the grant we are looking at now is $525,000, which I’m sure you’ll agree is worth celebrating,” he stated.
In addition to the financial aid, Pastor Eze highlighted extra benefits for the awardees. The Tony Elumelu Foundation will provide a comprehensive 12-week business education program for all recipients. Flutterwave, a prominent fintech company in Africa, will also extend technical support for those awardees in the technology sector.
“Flutterwave has committed to offering significant technical support for anyone in technology who receives the award,” he added. Pastor Jerry Eze underscored that the selection process and criteria would be revealed shortly and reaffirmed that a respected international consulting firm would oversee the entire procedure.
“Keep in mind, it will be handled by a credible international consulting firm,” he noted. This initiative aligns with the Jerry Eze Foundation’s broader goal to empower youth and promote sustainable economic development throughout Africa.