On DFA Interview Series- Meet Eniola Adefioye-Olugbake, the Founder Tributary Initiative.
Tell us about yourself?
My name is Eniola Adefioye-Olugbake, the founder of Tributary Initiative for Learning non-profit institution where I work to strengthen the capability of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and centers to achieve set development objectives especially in improving the stakeholders access to decent work and productive employment.
I am a certified Life coach with a keen interest in Life coaching, NeuroLinguistic programming, and emotional intelligence. I am also a TVET expert and; a DACUM Facilitator and SCID practitioner trained at the Centre on Education and Training for Employment, Ohio State University. I hold a BA degree in English and Philosophy from Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife Osun State.
Tell us about your organization, impacts, and achievements since the establishment?
Tributary Initiative for Learning (TRIL) is a non-profit that connects people to opportunity and development.
We envision skilled young persons in Africa achieving productive employment and decent work through TVET. We accomplished this by strengthening the capacity of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and public secondary schools through curriculum review and upgrade; teachers training, industry engagement to achieve their development objectives, and enterprise model development for sustainability.
Our programs ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities in the communities we serve.
Since its inception in December 2016,
- We have impacted 10 educations sites and successfully moved them to a viable and sustainable state.
- We have trained 300+ teachers to deliver competency-based education and assessment to facilitate trainees’ professional competence attainment.
- We have facilitated the placement of 440 young persons in jobs.
- We have been able to increase the general performance pass rate of Wesley Junior secondary school between 2017 -2019 from 32% baseline to 68%
- The number of school dropouts and absenteeism also significantly reduced
What advice can you give to young people who want to build a career in the development sector?
Once you have figured out the issues you want to support or solve, go all out for it! Develop your dept in it to gain expertise and adopt best practices. Africa needs social innovations that are committed to eradicating poverty, inequality protecting our environment, and embracing inclusion with a deep understanding of issues and sustainable solutions.
How has been your participation in the inner circle program or other programs prepared you for opportunities ahead?
The experience has significantly increased my confidence. I am encouraged to give as much as I know, even more. I have a better understanding of my role as a development person and be able to -and still in the process- put together documentation for my organization which has helped to put us in an adequate space and legitimize our expertise.
Are there any ongoing projects your organization is working on at the moment? Please share it with us.
Technical Trade Education for Secondary schools: The project is an early intervention to curbing early youth unemployment. The project seeks to support public schools in providing students with vocational competencies in technical trade subjects to secure gainful employment in their communities. It also provides a launching platform for further education and entrepreneurship.
The project will
- Bring up to speed trade teachers knowledge and skills on industry practices and technologies,
- Improve the learning environment to accommodate hands-on skills training
- Collaborate with the private sector to develop demand-driven curriculums
- Facilitate internships and job placement, startups for innovation and entrepreneurship
- Pop up centers for career guidance
Teachplus Academy program: The program supports TVET institutions and centers to attain set development objectives. Some of the work we do with them are:
- Organizational competency profiling and reporting
- Capacity development for competency-based training and assessment
- Standardized market-relevant training and curriculum
- Quality program to increase stakeholder’s access to employment
- Viable and sustainable institution
- Forge Coalition between the centers and industries for support in work-based learning and advisory capacity.
- Improve in-service teachers professional competency
The Education and Employment Development (TEED) Forum is an annual multi-stakeholder platform where we discuss urgent development challenges in Nigeria. It provides opportunities for networking and coalitions to connect the actors to learn, share knowledge, and evidence-based sustainable solutions. The outcomes from TEEDForum serve as advocacy tools to engage the government for policy changes in the education and employment space.
To know more about Eniola, and her amazing work in the development sector, you can follow her on social media platforms:
@enioladefioye @trilearningorg
https://www.instagram.com/trilearningorg/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eniola-adefioye-4975863/