Nigerian graduate working for a sustainable future

Foluke Michael, an MSc Project Management graduate from the University of Salford in the UK, is the CEO and Project Director of Creative Youth Community Development Initiative and Solution17 Projects Ltd.

She manages many projects focusing on corruption, climate change, educational development, green entrepreneurship and more, with a base in her home country of Nigeria.

Since graduating from the University of Salford Business School in 2016, she has won the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Action Award in the Innovator category at the Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Development organised by United Nations SDG Action Campaign. She also received the University of Salford Alumni Achievement Award for her exceptional contribution to education and peace development.

Her organisation, Creative Youth Community Development Initiative (CYCDI), promotes and implements projects towards the actualisation of SDGs and Agenda 2030. This is done through education, creative development, innovation and entrepreneurship in children, youth and women. 

Foluke said: “After I won the awards, I created a project called Solution17, an innovative and inclusive model developed to engage young people in producing SDG-based solutions.”

In 2019, the United Nations published Solution17 as an example of good practice and an inspiring breakthrough, able to be replicated and scaled up to help galvanise the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The Creative Youth Initiative Against Corruption and Solution17 for SDGs was created upon completing her masters at the university. 

She said: “Before I got into Salford, my project planning and implementation were on average. I was doing reasonably well, but I couldn’t multitask very well when I had multiple projects. The degree helped me learn how to. I’m now running multiple projects.

“Because of my knowledge from Salford, I can work more efficiently. I currently run a project management consultancy, green entrepreneurs and a blog dedicated to protecting the planet from carbon emission.”

In addition to the CYCDI and Solution17, Foluke has also developed several initiatives to promote educational and community development projects. Some include leading a global campaign, ‘Vision of the Child’, with 17 schoolgirls from 17 schools to promote SDGs and raise drug prevention awareness amongst youths and vulnerable adults through a school awareness creative programme.

Foluke is also working with Covenant University and United Nations Information Centre to implement Solution17 for Climate Action to “Reimagine the World We Want” through sustainable solutions. The initiative has birthed 17 Sustainable Climate Action Enterprises, currently on implementation.

On June 17 2021, Solution 17 Climate Action and United Nations in Nigeria officially flagged off #NaijaClimateNow campaign to commemorate 2021 World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. It is a call to doers, creators, innovators, scientists, students, youths, technologists and entrepreneurs to design and implement sustainable solutions to support climate change adaptation in Nigeria.

Solution17 for Climate Action in Africa was published on June 21, 2021 by United Nations as Good Practices, Success Stories and Lessons Learned in the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda

Most recently, she has launched her book, ‘The Green Entrepreneurs, 17 Business Ideas and 7 Steps to Start your Green Business’, to contribute to the global movement against the climate crisis.

She shared: “I want the world leaders to realise that there is an urgency to tackle climate change. I want to get the youth to start innovating solutions to solve problems within their immediate environment. 

“We must leave no one behind to protect the planet because the responsibility lies on everybody in the world. Not just on advocates.”