JULIE OBI - CEO AND FOUNDER OF DJULIESPLACE

 Julie Obi is a social entrepreneur and change-maker who empowers low-income women in rural and suburban communities in Nigeria with entrepreneurship development, vocational skills, and micro-funding opportunities. Using an innovative social enterprise model that aligns with SDG158 to impact

her world.

Julie has extensive experience in project/event planning and business management has worked in the development space for 6 years and is a former banker for 4 years in the corporate financial sector. She specializes in grant writing, business models, and alternative funding. She also equips entrepreneurs from low-income communities with financial literacy and mentorship as the director of programs for the African Entrepreneurship Support and Mentorship Program a social arm of DJULIESEVENTPLACE LTD a training and event management consulting firm that she founded in 2018 to help develop low-income women-owned businesses by training them on structuring their business to attract funding.

Julie is an associate member of the College of Financial Management and Chartered Insurance Institute

of Nigeria. A member of the Institute of Management Consulting. She holds a B.Sc. degree in entrepreneurship and business management from the National Open University of Nigeria. She has also gained leadership and entrepreneurship training from various institutions and programs, such as:

• Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Accra Ghana.

• Erasmus Global Partnership Fellowship (Morocco).

• Enterprise Development Centre Lagos (a Road2growth fellow).

• African Change Makers Fellow.

• Commonwealth 100 Leaders Fellow.

• Young African Leadership Initiative YALI Fellow.

• Mckinsey Forward Africa Fellow.

Her work and journey have been featured on various media platforms, such as:

• Lagos Eye News.

• US Department of State (YALI blog).

• Business Day Newspaper.

• Television Continental TVC.

• US Mission to the African Union.

• Lagos Metro Television.

Julie has also received several awards for her achievements, such as:

• Top Ten African Change Makers Award.

• Africa for Her Ambassador Award.

• 20 Most Influential Women Leaders in Lagos.

• Female Achievers Award.

• UN75 Ambassador

• Table Tennis Diamond Medal Award.

• Humanitarian Service Award.

• Project Innovative Award.

• Women of Impact Award.

• Social Founder of the Year Nominee.

Julie is an active United States Government Exchange Alumna who has used the YALI Learn and YALI Serve platforms a US Department of State.gov platform to implement workshops that have impacted over 1000 youth and women in her community every year during the Mandela Day of service to Humanity after her exchange program.

Julie is affiliated with various organizations and networks, such as:

• International Trade Centre (ITC).

• Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria.

• United State Government Exchange Alumni Association.

• She trades in the Commonwealth.

• Cherie Blair Foundation for Women in Business.

• Global Open Data Management for Agriculture and Nutrition.

• WE Connect International

Julie has also been appointed by the G100 ALL LADIES LEAGUE as an Advisory Member for women's empowerment and social enterprise in Nigeria. Julie is the convener of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in collaboration with the American Space a GIZ-GOPA entrepreneurship development consultant and facilitated the sustainable enterprise challenge a pilot project sponsored by the British Council, Princess Trust International, and Nerdzfactory. She also influenced over 200 youth from Africa to attend the Charter Day virtual event in organized to celebrate the UN75 event in NewYork USA. That made her receive the UN75 Ambassador Award in 2020.