Glory Oguegbu – Glow Initiative for Economic Empowerment

CURRENT PROFILE

Glory’s life goal is to be a positive part of people’s lives and make good impact. She’s passionate about the economic development of Nigeria and work in the fields of renewable energy and environmental sustainability to promote Nigeria’s economic growth through job creation and education. Shes’s the founder of Climate Smart Nigeria which promotes Climate Change Education in Nigerian institutions and provide capacity building on renewable energy technologies. In October 2018 she set up the Renewable Energy Technology Training Institute (RETTI) where she is also the Chief Instructor. The institute grooms the next generation of efficient installers and entrepreneurs with a focus on women who will serve as a competent workforce for the renewable energy industry and provide solutions to Nigeria’s prevalent energy problems as entrepreneurs.

Glory has published four books to promote the knowledge of climate change and renewable energy; Something is happening; Our world is changing; Understanding the Basics of Climate Change– for Secondary Schools – The Concept and Science of Climate Change – for the general adult public, A short thriller story – The Year Ran Mad – which depicts the impact of climate change on livelihood for Primary schools and The Girl who saw tomorrow, a short novel for secondary school – amzn.to/2TEYB1u.

She is the recipient of several local and international awards and recognitions which include (a) Nigerian Star from the US Mission in Nigeria (2018), (b) The Nigerian Energy Champion Prize from the Nigerian Energy Awards (2015), (c) President Obama’s Mandela Washington Fellowship Award (2015), (d) The Young Energy Professional of the Year Award by Nigeria Energy Awards (2018), (e) A Foremost Woman in Renewable Energy award recipient (2017); (f) Environmental Award of Excellence, Environmental Community Development group (2014) In April 2019, Glory was selected as one of 15 African female business leaders to attend United States Government’s launch of the OPIC 2X Africa and meet with advisor to President of USA – Ms. Ivanka Trump and the Ethiopian President – Ms Sahle-Work Zewde.

In the course of her work she has met and shared platforms with a number high profile personalities and leaders at the national and international levels, including President Barack Obama, US Senator Chris Coons, Advisor to President Trump, Ms Ivanka Trump, Gov. Jack Markell of Delaware USA, Ethiopian President – Ms Sahle-Work Zewde, The USG Undersecretary for Energy – Mr Mark Menezes and former Vice President Ebitu Ukiwe of Nigeria.

She is a consultant for Nigeria’s largest renewable energy event, the Nigerian Alternative Energy Expo. She was a former Vice President of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Association of Nigeria (MWFAAN), and is currently an active member. She is alumna of Abia State University, Nigeria, The Lagos Business School and the University of Delaware, USA.

OLDER PROFILE

Glory is a dynamic young lady with over 5 years’ experience working directly with Nigerians to bring solutions to Economic Problems. She’s the Founder and Executive Director of Glow Initiative for Economic Empowerment, a Non-profit seeking to combat poverty and unemployment to boost the economic development of Nigeria in order to attain a sustainable economy. It seeks to tackle economic problems especially poverty, unemployment and Climate Change through investments in Climate Literacy programs, renewable energies and agriculture. Glory has already demonstrated her extraordinary dedication to be a Leader for social good for all of Nigeria. She is very passionate about Economic growth and development that a year after graduating from the university (at age 23), she started a project which invested in large scale cassava processing and empowered 200 women with a means of livelihood. This project was then selected by the Government of Kwara State in 2014 to be replicated across the state.

She is passionate about the environment and is working to help combat climate change through raising public awareness. At age 25, Glory founded Climate Smart Nigeria (CSN) after coming across an article that included an image tagged “Stop Climate Change Before it Changes You” where a man is shown with a monster-like fish head as a sign of reverse evolution that might occur if climate change and ice-melting continue at such current alarming rate. A glimpse of the possible effects shows how the human body might evolve in order to deal with the environment change. We might end up with fins, flippers, and gills, due to the ice melting. The image was etched in her mind and drove her to research into the subject matter. When she read on the impact of climate change on humans, the environment and the economy, she was consumed by an urgent fear and then had the urge to do everything possible to reduce the negative impact and increase awareness.

CSN, with a 10 year goal was set up to combat environmental problems like climate change by spreading its awareness to curb climate illiteracy, investing in Climate Literacy Programs and promote the intervention of renewable energy to attain a Climate Smart Nation (with at least 70% climate aware Nigerians) and sustainable economic development by the year 2026. Under the CSN, the ‘Solar Up Nigeria’ (SUN) program is investing in solar powered products to reach rural communities where access to electricity is low.

She has authored 4 books – Something is happening; our world is changing – for secondary school students – and The Concept and Science of Climate Change – for the general adult public with the goal of promoting awareness of the economics of climate change and sustainable development. She wrote a short thriller story – The Year Ran Mad – which depicts the impact of climate change on livelihood (Agriculture) Illustrated accordingly for kids in the primary school and a short novel – The Girl who saw tomorrow – which delves into the reality of climate change and why it must be taken seriously. Her efforts were recognized by the Nigerian government and she was awarded the Nigerian Energy Champion for being a young leader combating the world’s greatest problem.

She’s passionate about how renewable energies play a great role in combating climate change, creating stable electricity and provide jobs so she founded the Renewable Energy Technology Training Institute out of a sheer desire to groom and mentor the next generation of renewable energy engineers and developers who will create solutions that will meet prevalent energy needs. The mission is to promote the knowledge of renewable energy and energy efficiency best practices through tailor made courses that address the energy value chain to contribute to capacity building and bridge the knowledge gap. We have trained and graduated one hundred engineers and other individuals interested in starting a renewable energy business on Solar Photovoltaic Design and Installation. Glory and her team leveraged on technology to launch the Growth Support Plan, an after support platform for the graduates. Through the GSP, they receive constant support, internship opportunities, on-site engagements, opportunities for grants, fellowships, access to expert coaching to qualify for grants and advisory from professionals to help them start and grow their businesses and be employable in a solar company. This plan is pioneered through a WhatsApp interactive Forum. Through this plan, about 20 members of Alumni have started commercially viable businesses.

The knowledge gained through her years of research and experiences in the sector allowed her to be an ardent contributor in the field of climate change, renewable energy and sustainable development and led to a prestigious invitation extended to her to deliver a keynote address at the University of Delaware / Africa Energy Conference organized by the University of Delaware Energy Institute alongside US Senator Chris Coons on topic; Climate Smart Nigeria; Climate Change and Sustainable energy (a case study of Nigeria) in April 2016 in Delaware, United States. The conference brought together 24 speakers made up of energy professors and energy business leaders from companies around the world. She was the youngest of the speakers and one of four women.

Glory recently spoke at the prestigious 6th International World Conference on Biodiversity and Conservation in Dubai UAE on the topic in April 2017: Climate Change, Biodiversity and Nigeria; Linking Reality, Policy and Practice to effectively communicate the importance of Biodiversity conservation and increase awareness. This is in recognition of the work she has done and the campaign she has championed through the Climate Smart Nigeria initiative advocating for the environment and educating the public.

Glory formerly served as the National Coordinator for InstaSolar Energy Africa headquartered in USA where She oversaw, coordinated and Commissioned the operation of the InstaSolar Community Centers in their Regions of Nigeria according to InstaSolar USA standards. Glory has been opportune to speak on Economic growth, Sustainable Energy and Climate Education in many countries of the world. Her work has been featured in magazines, websites and TV programs.

Glory’s skills and dedication has fetched her over 10 local and international awards and recognitions, which include the State Honour Prize by Kwara state government in 2014, nominated as Most outstanding under 25 young woman by the Wise Womens award 2014, President Obama’s Mandela Washington Fellowship Award where she met and shook hands with President Obama in 2015. The Nigeria Energy Champion prize in 2015, Named as one of Nigeria’s foremost women in Renewable Energy by the Environment Africa Group in 2017. In October 2018, she won the Young Energy Professional of the Year award by the Nigeria Energy Awards.

GLORY’S FULL STORY ON HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Full Background and Motivation

As a teenager and a secondary school student, I was in the sciences class but unsure what course to study in the university. I did not like mathematics and all other science subjects I was taking at the time, I was not thrilled about being a doctor, an astronaut or in some other science profession like a majority of teenagers at the time. I had always wanted to be a lawyer. As a child, I read the novel – Cane and Abel – and loved how the house master had the title ‘Esq.’ because he was a lawyer. I also loved how he always dressed very well. Therefore, I decided I wanted to be a lawyer. I got into secondary school and joined the science class largely due to ignorance, I thought that Law was part of the sciences. When I realized it was not, it was too late to change so I was stuck with studying the sciences. I had no passion for it at all.

However, one subject I did love was Geography. I was intrigued by the interactions with human geography, environmental studies, discussions about the developing world, developed world and public policy. I loved learning about how these factors positively or negatively affected economic growth and development. I was interested in economic growth and how it leads to poverty alleviation. I was curious about environmental issues and how these boost or adversely affect economic growth. As a result, I decided to study Geography and Planning in the university from the faculty of Environmental Studies.

I’m very passionate about economic growth and sustainable development that a year after graduating from the university in 2013, when I was posted to a community for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps, I was moved to make a difference in the lives of 200 widows languishing in hunger and poverty. I found that in this community, there was abundant cassava in farmlands, which the villagers sold in bulk to neighboring communities. I wondered why this community remained poor amidst plenty. Cassava is a staple food in Nigeria and I felt that if processed, it would contribute to the economic development of the community.

I constructed a large scale cassava processing factory (fully installed with modern processing equipment) for the widows to enable them process the abundant cassava. This would provide employment opportunities thereby alleviating poverty and improving the economic situation of the community. This initiative was extremely successful and resulted in a large number of widows whose lives were improved and who could then take better care of their families. It was a project that had ripple effects on the entire community of 1,500. This initiative was recognized by the National Youth Service Corps body and the state government who decided to replicate the project across the state. I received an Award of Excellence form the NYSC body and a State Honour Award from the State Government.

The success of my project made me realize how much positive economic impact can be achieved when a community is empowered using their own resources. This new insight birthed my NGO – Glow Initiative for Economic Empowerment – to serve as a platform for harnessing the economic potential of communities across Nigeria. My efforts were recognized by the US government in 2015. I received President Obama’s Mandela Washington Fellowship Award and was selected as one of 500 out of 80,000 applicants to participate in President Obama’s Mandela Washington Fellowship for young African leaders, after which I received a handshake from President Obama.

In November 2015, I came across an article that had an image of a disfigured, monster-like human tagged “Stop climate change before it changes you”. The writer opined that in some decades to come, humans will age faster, begin to look disfigured and uglier, due to global warming and the unclean air we breathe. This terrified me. At the time, I did not fully grasp the reality of global warming and climate change. The image was etched in my mind and drove me to research into the subject matter. When I read on the impact of climate change on humans, the environment and the economy, I was consumed by an urgent fear as I am passionate about the environment and economic growth. I then had the urge to do everything possible to reduce the negative impact and increase awareness so that individuals, government and businesses know what role they must play.

This urgency made me conduct independent research. I enrolled in online courses on environmental change, climate change and sustainable development. I strived to understand how the changes in the environment affected humans and the economy. I learned about how renewable energy can help combat climate change and lead to a sustainable economic development. I took an online course – Off-Grid Solar Power Systems Design – because I wanted to learn about how latest Renewable Energy technologies work in order to empower youths with the knowledge – thereby building green entrepreneurs – promoting economic growth and combating Climate Change. I took another course – Energy Economics, Climate Change and the Environment –taught by a former white house economist and advisor – Ben Ho, which helped me learn the impact of energy use and climate change on the environment. I learnt and I’m well versed in the area of environmental economics, energy economics, environmental ethics, oil sector, the electricity sector, alternative energy, sustainability, climate change and climate policy and these knowledge has earned me a consultancy status on the fields of Green Growth, Climate Change, Energy and Sustainable Development for non-profits, Companies, Governments and SMEs.

While constructing the cassava processing factory for 200 widows, I volunteered with the Environmental Community Development Service (CDS) group. I discovered that the community practiced bush burning and deforestation as a norm which contributed to climate change. This was mainly due to ignorance and lack of awareness. I then realized the great need to educate the over 70% of Nigerians who are unaware of climate change because indeed, no economic development can be sustainable if the environment is not sustainable as the impact of climate change would destroy any form of economic development and livelihood. This fact, coupled with the image of the disfigured, monster-like human I saw and the new knowledge gained from the research I had done and courses taken, led to the beginning of a new initiative (coming under the auspices of my NGO) – Climate Smart Nigeria – with a 10 year goal to combat environmental problems like climate change by spreading its awareness to curb climate illiteracy, promote the intervention of renewable energy to attain a Climate Smart Nation (with at least 70% climate aware Nigerians) and sustainable economic development by the year 2026.

From my findings, I wrote four books: Something is happening; our world is changing – for secondary school students – and The Concept and Science of Climate Change – for the general adult public with the goal of promoting awareness of the economics of climate change and sustainable development; The Year Ran Mad, which is a thriller short story illustrated with pictures written to adress the primary school students on Climate impacts on livelihood. And lastly, The Girl Who Saw Tomorrow; written to address high school and university students. It helps being the story of Climate Change into perspective.

My efforts were recognized by the Nigerian government and I was awarded the Nigerian Energy Champion for being a young leader combating the world’s greatest problem.

My gained knowledge has allowed me to be an outstanding contributor in the field of climate change, renewable energy and sustainable development and led to a prestigious invitation extended to me to deliver a keynote address alongside US Senator Chris Coons at the University of Delaware African Energy Conference on Climate Smart Nigeria; Climate Change and Sustainable energy (a case study of Nigeria) in April 2016 in Delaware, United States and a recent invitation (April 2017) as speaker for the 6^th International World Conference on Biodiversity and Conservation, Dubai UAE.

In March 2016, I was appointed to serve as the National Programs Coordinator for InstaSolar Energy Africa, a sub division of InstaSolar energy LLC, USA, whose work in Africa is to establish an intervention – Community Centers for Clean Water, Energy and Education – in rural communities of Africa and in this case, Nigeria. The goal is to promote the use of renewable energy, particularly solar, invest in educating the community members on health and the environment, combat climate change and improve the living condition of the community in general. My experience in Off-Grid Solar Power Systems Design and Community Advocacy made me competitive for this position.

I’m well versed in renewable energy. Through Climate Smart Nigeria, Our programs – Solar Up Nigeria is an initiative which seeks to train youths all over Nigeria on the economic opportunities of Solar Energy. The goal is to build Green Entrepreneurs. They’ll be trained on Solar Energy Technology, Solar Electrification and Entrepreneurship. Community centers for Clean Energy and Education – We are working to empower rural women by providing cleaner sources of fuel for cooking purposes. We plan to teach them how to make Briquettes which is a clean source of fuel from waste by setting up learning centers where they’ll be trained. Clean Energy Action – In partnership with a company (Carbon Credit Network) we are helping to raise entrepreneurships by spreading awareness about clean cook stoves and inducting members who will be green ambassadors. These ambassadors can build themselves a long-term second income with much awaited carbon credit realization in Africa by purchasing and using the networks solar products and helping to spread the word about it to friends and family.

For my efforts in the sector I was recently awarded Nigeria’s foremost woman in renewable energy by Environment Africa Group.

Read more about her Below

Feature and Interviews

Interview with Development Innovation Insider, Hong-Kong

Interview with Eco-Nigeria

Organization and Work

Glow Initiative for Economic Empowerment

Climate Smart Nigeria

Renewable Energy Initiative

Books

On Website

On Amazon