who we are
Mentoring Assistance for Youths and Entrepreneurs Initiative (MAYEIN), a non governmental organization headquartered in Oyo State, Nigeria, focuses on Positive Youth Development through the strategic advancement of SDGs 4, 5, 16, and 17. Established formally in May 2012, with registration No: CAC/IT/NO 52811, the Organization is governed by an 8-member Board of Trustees and advisory committee.
Our mission
To lead strategies that promote inclusive quality education and lifelong learning for all, gender equity, and civic readiness for the attainment of positive youth development.
Our vision
We envision a country and continent where young people are thriving in communities and correspondingly communities are thriving because of young people
Our story
MAYEIN has grown from its nascent stages of budding systems into a thriving and well-structured professional organization with 2 office locations and a community outstation in Oyo State. The Organisation currently has 9 permanent employees, 15+ volunteers across several local governments, and 5 NGO implementation partners in different states in Nigeria.
Our organization has also recorded significant local donors and major internal grant partners – including the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, United Kingdom (2020 – 2022), and Rockefeller Philanthropy, USA (2022). In 2017, MAYEIN served as a Technical Consultant to the UK headquartered Girl Effect Organization on the implementation of phase 2 of the award-winning “Girls’ Connect” Project, which provided storytelling content on topics of financial literacy, safety, relationships, and the use of social media as well as direct phone call access to live role models for over 5000 girls in Northern Nigeria.
In 2021, MAYEIN was conferred special consultative status at the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) which authorizes our participation in UN general assembly meetings and other smaller group processes. Since its inception, our organization has piloted 6 major impact programs in areas of inclusive quality education, entrepreneurship development, gender equity, and youth civic inclusion. We have also participated formally in 2 major global campaigns for girls’ education, namely –#StandwithMalala, and #DoitforHer in collaboration with Youth Hub Africa, The Malala Foundation, and the US State Department’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), respectively
What we Do
Our primary causes
Based on adaptive learning over the last ten years of delivering various impact solutions and strategies, and through insights derived in the course of broad engagement with diverse youth populations and their care/service providers, we have been able to identify clear methods and approaches that are highly effective when working with young people.
Girl-centered & School-based Clubs
Our adoption of school-based clubs is premised on the position that when exposed to learning through playful, peer-led and practical (3Ps) sessions, girls and school children not only grasp of numerous life skills and leadership concepts within safe spaces but in addition they become very valuable peer educators and ambassadors of those same rights to adults in their families and beyond. MAYEIN has therefore established a network of democracy clubs and girl child advocacy clubs (Girls’ Without Borders) across schools in Oyo State, Nigeria. Through the school clubs, school children gain knowledge on children’s rights, democratic principles, climate action etc. through fun and practical activities which they co-lead and in addition they are able to build meaningful leadership competencies, such as public speaking, budgeting, project organizing, building public campaigns etc.
Media Dialogues and Virtual support groups:
Media-based discussions and dialogues allow for participatory engagement and inclusion of young people’s voices and opinions in framing the issues as well as defining real priorities. This is why we adopt these means, not merely for awareness raising on topics but also for continuous engagement and support – especially through the use of WhatsApp groups. To make sure that participants of our different programs have access to up-to-date information on relevant topics, opportunities, and news – we add them to small online groups which are purposefully administered to provide regular information support, as well as supportive mentoring through periodic live Q&A sessions, and even virtual interactions with guest experts.
Community Youth (Peer) hubs/spaces
Young people are attracted to spaces where their peers converge where activities are specifically designed around their needs and where they can meaningfully drive the exchanges. Such spaces are perceived as friendly, welcoming, and overall safe.
As a result, they often feel comfortable learning and even addressing difficult subjects within such environments. We, therefore, establish such spaces across the community and other social settings like schools and higher institutions.
mentoring
MAYEIN adopts both formal mentoring and Peer-Peer mentoring approaches in delivering impact and engaging young people towards personal development, leadership, and even skills outcomes.
One of our flagship mentoring initiatives is MAYEIN’s monthly “Youth Learning Meet-up” (YLM) for young adults, which alternates between peer-peer mentoring and formal guest mentoring.
Workshops, trainings and Convened sessions
Through facilitator-led workshops and formal trainings, we are able to deliver technical skills training and capacity building assistance across numerous topics for students, educators across a wide spectrum – such as teachers, principals, local inspectors of education, education planners etc.
We are also able to support young social entrepreneurs and impact leaders with enhanced organizational management skills for structuring their initiatives to achieve sustainability and scale.
Internships and workplace practicums
MAYEIN organizes internships and practicum-driven work placements for students across secondary schools and tertiary institutions. This is intended to bridge work experience gaps and drill pathways for young people to directly understudy and gain practical know-how in specific workplace areas thus gaining in-demand job readiness and relevant employability skills.
Education
MAYEIN champions inclusive education, and is committed to flagging education-centered initiatives to impact underserved children and early youths through community-based access to literacy resources and in-school projects. We believe education is the foundation for a brighter future, empowering individuals and driving positive change within communities.
Entrepreneurship
MAYEIN fosters a culture of entrepreneurship by equipping individuals with the skills and resources necessary to launch and grow successful businesses. By nurturing a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, we help individuals achieve economic independence, create jobs, and contribute to a more prosperous society.
Gender Equity
MAYEIN is dedicated to promoting equal opportunities and rights for women and girls, particularly those in marginalized contexts. We empower girls with the tools and knowledge to reach their full potential and advocate for policies that dismantle barriers to their education.
Civic Engagement
MAYEIN equips young people with the knowledge and skills to become active citizens toward a better society. By empowering young voices, we are building a more informed, engaged, and just society for all.