Njideka Harry

Harry was born in Ibadan to a Nigerian father and American mother.{{Cite web|url=http://aimhigherafrica.com/njideka-harrys-quest-to-make-the-state-and-outcome-of-rural-farming-appealing-to-rural-women/|title=NJIDEKA HARRY'S QUEST TO MAKE THE STATE AND OUTCOME OF RURAL FARMING APPEALING TO RURAL WOMEN {{!}} Aim Higher Africa|website=aimhigherafrica.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-08-06}} When the Biafra war broke out, her father won a scholarship to study in the United States which is where he met and married her mother.{{Cite journal|last=Harry|first=Njideka|date=2015|title=Pioneering the Youth and Technology Movement in Africa and Beyond (Case Narrative)|url=https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/inov_a_00230|journal=Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization|language=en|volume=10|issue=1-2|pages=61–73|doi=10.1162/inov_a_00230|issn=1558-2477|url-access=subscription}} She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/student-reporter/youth-for-technology-foun_b_3050149.html|title=Youth for Technology Foundation: Reinvigorating Rural Communities through Reverse Migration & Youth Empowerment|last=Journo|first=Pro|date=2013-04-15|website=Huffington Post|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-06}} After graduating, she began working for General Electric, and lived/worked in Europe and in the U.S. Harry left GE and began a career at Microsoft, where she founded YTF in 2000. It is a nonprofit that uses technology to improve the lives of young people and women in developing countries.{{Cite web|url=https://newsroom.mastercard.com/mea/people/njidekaharry/|title=President and CEO of Youth for Technology Foundation|website=newsroom.mastercard.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-06}} Harry is particularly worried about the state of education in Africa as the system is not just broken, but obsolete. She envisions technology as an enabler.{{Cite news|url=http://www.youthfortechnology.org/qa-60-seconds-with-njideka-harry/|title=Q&A: 60 seconds with Njideka Harry - Youth for Technology Foundation|date=2015-07-31|work=Youth for Technology Foundation|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-28061813|title=Africa mobile boom powers innovation|last=Wall|first=Matthew|date=2014-07-01|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en-GB}}

Harry founded Youth for Technology Foundation in 2001, funded by the Nigerian Government Community Investment Fund and Microsoft Community Affairs Program. She began a Reuters Digital Vision Fellowship at Stanford University in 2004. She worked alongside Megan Smith. Harry was invited to join the Board of the Community Technology Centers Network, where she would meet her mentors Don Samuelson and Stephen Ronan. She earned a Master of Business Administration at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/news_articles/2012/life-changing-experience.aspx|title=‘A life-changing experience’|last=Langen|first=Sara|website=Kellogg|access-date=2018-08-06}} She was inspired by fellow MBA classmates to extend the YTF to Colombia. YTF Academy teaches youth and women to use technology in education and entrepreneurship. In 2007, YTF began working in the technology and entrepreneurship space when the organization partnered with the United Nations Development Programme to launch a program to train women entrepreneurs in the Niger Delta in Nigeria.

In 2011 she was nominated into the Ashoka Fellowship as an Ashoka Fellow.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ashoka.org/en-gb/fellow/njideka-harry|title=Njideka Harry|work=Ashoka {{!}} Everyone a Changemaker|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en-gb}} She launched the Women Entrepreneurs and Mobile Value Added Services in 2012 which provides funding, training and networking opportunities to thousands of young women. The program is supported by Mastercard. She partnered with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women in 2013.{{Cite web|url=http://www.schwabfound.org/content/njideka-harry|title=Njideka Harry {{!}} Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship|website=www.schwabfound.org|language=en|access-date=2018-08-06}}

Harry is keen on 3D printing.{{Cite news|url=http://venturesafrica.com/interview-with-njideka-harry-of-ytf/|title=YTF Founder, Njideka Harry, talks inclusivity and entrepreurship in tech|date=2016-12-30|work=Ventures Africa|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en-US}} She launched 3D Africa, an educational program that provides training for unemployed African engineers, in 2015.{{Cite news|url=http://www.3ders.org/articles/20170308-43-influential-women-in-the-3d-printing-industry.html|title=International Women’s Day 2017: 42 most influential women in 3D printing|work=3ders.org|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en-US}} The engineers learn skills in computer-aided design, robotics, IoT, programming and entrepreneurship.{{Cite web|url=http://3dafrica.org/|title=3D Africa|website=3dafrica.org|language=en|access-date=2018-08-06}} The program has been funded by GE, Makerbot, Autodesk and WeTech (Women Enhancing Technology).{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/01/26/3d-africa/|title=Youth For Technology’s 3D Africa Program Wants To Get More Girls Into STEM Subjects|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en-US}} Recognizing that girls were reluctant to commit to the after school clubs, Harry launched "3D Africa for Girls" to teach girls human centered design and production.{{Cite news|url=https://3dadept.com/interview-njideka-harry-president-youthfortech-talent-is-universal-but-opportunity-is-not/|title=Interview - Njideka Harry, President of @YouthForTech: "Talent is universal but opportunity is not; [ hence the need to grasp the opportunity offered by #3dprinting]" {{!}} 3D ADEPT MEDIA|date=2018-06-15|work=3D ADEPT MEDIA|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en-GB}} The Clinton Global Initiative selected YTF as a commitment partner (Clinton Foundation) in 2016 to launch an initiative providing training to 6,000 girls who are out-of-school in Nigeria.{{Cite news|url=https://www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/commitments/3d-printing-freedom-human-trafficking-girls|title=3D Printing: Freedom from Human Trafficking for Girls|work=Clinton Foundation|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en}} YTF is collaborating with schools in Nigeria and Kenya to develop physical and virtual maker spaces that allow young entrepreneurs to prototype their ideas.{{Cite web|url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/06/africa-young-tech-leaders-innovating/|title=Africa's inspiring innovators show what the future could hold|website=World Economic Forum|access-date=2018-08-06}}

Harry is on the advisory board of the council for Women of West Africa and Entrepreneurship and Promoting Readiness in Science and Math.{{Cite web|url=https://www.weforum.org/people/njideka-harry|title=Njideka Harry|website=World Economic Forum|access-date=2018-08-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bellanaija.com/tag/women-of-west-africa-entrepreneurship/?amp=1#!|title=Latest on Women of West Africa Entrepreneurship - . Read on BellaNaija - August 6, 2018|website=BellaNaija|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://kellogg.campusgroups.com/ABC/rsvp?event_uid=381372f0-8a74-11e2-9ed4-00259064d38a|title=Africa Week: Youth for Technology Presentation by Njideka Harry - Africa Business Club|website=kellogg.campusgroups.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-06}}{{Cite news|url=http://feminine.com.ng/2016/08/16/njideka-harry-is-transforming-lives-of-youths-in-developing-countries/|title=Njideka Harry is transforming lives of youths in developing countries - Feminine Nigeria|date=2016-08-16|work=Feminine Nigeria|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en-US}} She is a World Economic Forum Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship Fellow.{{Citation|last=World Economic Forum|title=Njideka Harry {{!}} Equipping youth with digital knowledge and skills for employment|date=2017-05-29|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkDx-QRTk6Q|access-date=2018-08-06}}{{Citation|last=World Economic Forum|title=Njideka Harry, President and Chief Executive Officer, Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF) at #af15|date=2015-06-05|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yESv-FcbnQY|access-date=2018-08-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://dailynorthwestern.com/2013/02/20/blogs/kellogg-alumni-named-social-entrepreneurs-of-the-year/|title=Kellogg alumni named 'Social Entrepreneurs of the Year'|last=Caruba|first=Lauren|website=dailynorthwestern.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-06}}

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Category:People from Ibadan

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Category:Nigerian social entrepreneurs

Category:Stanford University alumni

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Category:Northwestern University alumni