In a bold move to address rising unemployment, cybercrime, and social vices among young males, LEARNTOR Foundation has launched the “Tech for Boys” initiative, an empowerment programme designed to equip boys with digital skills, values, and opportunities for community impact.
Speaking at the event held in Lagos, Mercy George-Igbafe, the founder of LEARNTOR Foundation, warned that society risks “sitting on a ticking time bomb” if the challenges facing the boy child continue to be ignored.
“The rate of autism, unemployment, and cybercrime is happening more among boys. Sadly, while the girl child is being empowered, the boy child is being left behind, and they are growing up to marry these empowered girls. If we fail to intervene, we will keep raising young men who are economically unviable or prone to social vices,” she said.
The initiative, which runs in six-month cycles, has already trained 5,000 boys across 16 schools, with 500 joining online learning sessions.
About 150 boys and their teachers recently gathered for practical training in Excel and bookkeeping, after which they will proceed to internships with local businesses.
According to George-Igbafe, the programme is not just about digital literacy but about reshaping lives:
“We’re not going to stop. This is more than training, it’s a passion of love. These boys are learning to add value to the economy, contribute to their communities, and ultimately grow into responsible men.”
The ‘Tech for Boys’ initiative enjoys the support of the Public Service Staff Development Centre (PSSDC), which provided facilities, as well as the Lagos State Government, which granted access to schools. However, much of the funding has come from individual sacrifices.
“I even had to sell my laptop. Some individuals contribute in small ways, like paying for food for the boys. It’s not because we have deep pockets, but by God’s mercy, it has been possible,” George-Igbafe revealed.
She issued a strong call for broader support from corporate organisations, NGOs, and government agencies:
“We want brands and partners to say Yes to Tech and No to Crime. Let’s raise men who can use technology to create legitimate wealth, not cybercrime. We cannot do this alone.”
The foundation is also considering future collaboration with the EFCC, not just to punish offenders but to rehabilitate young boys through education and empowerment.
Feedback from schools has been mixed, with some enthusiastic and others skeptical due to past experiences with NGOs. Still, George-Igbafe believes the impact is clear, and demand is growing.
Currently, 7,000 boys are waiting to be trained across Lagos State’s six education districts, with only a fraction covered so far.
“We’ve only just started with District 1. Lagos has over 13,000 boys in that zone alone. Our vision is to go across all districts. The work is enormous, but the future of our boys, and our society, depends on it,” she affirmed.
Photos from the Tech-Up Boys Boot Camp Cohort 2 & Graduation Ceremony:
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