Julia Oku Jacks Takes The Helm from Kelechi Olawoyin at Street Project Foundation
Following a unanimous vote by the board members recently, Street Project Foundation has announced the appointment of Julia Oku Jacks as the Board Chairman.
Her appointment follows the outstanding five-year tenure of Mrs. Kelechi Olawoyin, who served as the board chairman of Street Project Foundation from 2019 to 2023. Under Mrs. Olawoyin’s leadership, the foundation saw significant growth and development, including the strengthening of its corporate structure and commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in its operations and programming. Through initiatives like the Creative Youth Boot Camp, Digital Amazons, ARTvocacy, Alaafia, and Street University, the foundation positively impacted the lives of over three thousand individuals.
Street Project Foundation, a United Nations award winning organization founded by Rita Ezenwa-Okoro, the first Nigerian to serve on the board of the International Society of the Performing Arts (ISPA), is a youth-focused organization established in 2008. Its mission is to facilitate opportunities for youth leadership development, social mobilization, and cross-cultural dialogue using the creative arts. Over the past fifteen years, the Foundation has positively impacted the lives of thousands of disadvantaged and vulnerable youth across Nigeria. It aims to address challenges such as youth restlessness, lack of direction, limited access to capital, and opportunities to develop life skills. With Julia’s appointment, the Foundation anticipates a new era of an even more impactful leadership.
Julia Oku Jacks, Founder and Lead Consultant of Julia Jacks Consulting, brings a wealth of experience and a passion for community development to her role as Board Chair. Her diverse background in academia, marketing communications, corporate strategy, and international philanthropy is just what the Foundation needs to further uplift underprivileged youth. Under Julia’s leadership, Street Project Foundation aims to amplify its impact by expanding existing programs, introducing innovative initiatives, and implementing sustainable philanthropic solutions to reach even more young people across Africa.
“I am excited to lead Street Project Foundation into a new chapter of impact and transformation,” said Julia Inyang Esien Oku Jacks. She added, “In a society where the dreams of countless youths are stifled by economic hardships, Street Project Foundation has emerged as a beacon of hope.”
In addition to Julia’s appointment, the Street Project Foundation is proud to welcome two new additions to its board. Uzoamaka Asiegbu, a gender and disability inclusion specialist, and Elizabeth Adams, an educator and disability rights advocate, both beneficiaries of the Foundation’s Creative Youth Boot Camp program in 2019 and 2020, respectively, have joined the board. With this new development, the Street Project Foundation is poised to enhance the creative economy and holistic well being of young people in Nigeria and beyond.