AFRICAN CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP, RESLIENCE AND SOCIAL INNOVATION

ACIED Africa is a non-governmental knowledge-based, capability and capacity development organization which mission is “to stimulate productive inclusion through the development of capabilities, skills, rights and opportunities for everyone, particularly the poor, marginalized and excluded groups (including people with disabilities, widows etc.), as well as low income workers from the formal sector in order to guarantee that everyone benefits equitably from the social and economic growth processes and gets engaged in it”. As a capacity, skills development and Advocacy Centre, ACIEDafrica is driven by holistic and collective community action approaches where everyone has the opportunity to turn their unique gifts or talents into legitimate businesses that contribute to sustainable, resilient, and equitable shared community wealth. With this objective in mind, ACIEDafrica promotes equitable and sustainable socioeconomic growth and inclusion in Nigeria and Africa.

OUR CORE VALUE:

COOPERATION: We work in a spirit of trust, collaboration and partnership across departments and with our community to achieve our shared goals. INNOVATION: We embrace innovation to improve delivery of services. We take initiative, and are flexible and creative in anticipating and adapting to changing conditions. INTEGRITY: We take accountability for our actions and deliver what we promise. We are truthful and honest in how we do our job. We inspire public confidence and trust in the target people and community that we serve.

ACIEDafrica’S WORK FOCUSES ON FOUR THEMATIC OR CORE AREAS OF ACTIVITY:

1. Socioeconomic Policies Research, Advocacy and Stakeholders Engagement;

2. Entrepreneurial Skills, Enterprises Development, TVET, Mentoring and Support for Youth and Women in businesses;

3. Sustainable and Inclusive Agriculture;

4. Gender Studies, Social Inclusion and Disability Rights;

i. Gender Action Learning Methodologies and Adaptation; ii. Women Empowerment, Child Development and Social Protection; iii. Social Inclusion and Disability Rights (in Health, Education, Entrepreneurship, Employment, Governance).

ACIEDafrica’s Disability Inclusion and Resilience Activities (IDRA) specially support new initiatives promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in health, education, workplaces and economic activities and governance. Consequently, The Centre engages in policy, empirical disability-related research and advocacy to the rights of people with disabilities, who are often not consulted about decisions that relate to or affect their lives. Rooted in the belief that all people have value, the Centre continuously strives to promote full community participation for the people with disabilities, and continue to engage Nigeria government on advocacy for disability-friendly infrastructure, access to justice, social services. ACIEDafrica deploys innovative approach to address inclusion of the people with disabilities or vulnerable groups, particularly, strengthening their voice through programmatic interventions, and ensuring that they are specifically included in citizen engagement activities, in order to advocate for themselves and better meet their needs.

The Centre focuses on systemic change, bearing in mind “inclusivity”: the systems within organizations that must change – shifts in policies and practices that promote fairness, transparency and accountability. Our in-depth Research for Development (R4D) approach delivers an evidence-based and analytically sound case for sectors reform, particularly in shaping public policies and promoting accountability for inclusive growth.

We work in collaboration with the partners and institutions as well as other interest groups to monitor and measure the impact of these changes across and in alignment with the Africa Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - SDG-1&2 (Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger); SDG-3 (Good Health and Wellbeing); SDG-4 (Inclusive and Quality Education); SDG-5 (Gender Equality); SDG-8 (Decent Work and Sustainable Economic Growth); SDG-13 (Action to Combat Climate Change) and; SDG-16 (Peaceful and Inclusive Societies), which most specifically relate to the work ACIEDafrica supports.