Draft:Isaac Damian Ezirim

Isaac Damian Ezirim (born September 12, 1989) is a Nigerian social entrepreneur, technology inclusiveness and online safety advocate. He is the founder of Teens Can Code, Virtually Safe and Co Founder of Karot, registered in the US as Karot Incorporation, He is a Splunk Engineer and Cyber Security expert.

Early life and education

Ezirim, was born in Lagos, Nigeria to Damian Onuoha Ezirim a civil servant and a trader mother. He, grew up in Agege, Lagos and then his family relocated to Aba in Abia State where he was encouraged to learn to trade fabrics following the Igbo apprentice system called 'Imu Ahia'. He relocated to Oyigbo, Rivers State to live with an aunt for a little over three years. Ezirim, attended God's Grace Children's School, Ifako Agege, Lagos for elementary school, attended Fagba Grammar School, Iju, Lagos, and went on to study at University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education, Cambridge.

Career

At age 19, Ezirim started the Phaze Network and Teens Network project through which he started a career and success workshop for other teenagers, Teens Network was started as an information brochure he distributed to schools with information about career and leadership, the information brochure later became a monthly magazine that was published for a period of two years and couldn't continue due to cost.

In 2010 he started a printing and branding company which he ran until 2019.

In 2017, he founded Teens Can Code, an organization helping to expand access to technology education and opportunities for young people in Nigeria. In 2020 he created online safety content to help people stay safe online during the pandemic and he did same during the #EndSars protest in Nigeria, these contents went viral and then birthed the Virtually Safe project an initiative working towards creating a safer internet for young people, their parents and educators a Google.org funded project.

In 2024, he launched the Karot App an edtech platform for young people to learn softskills and financial literacy with an e-wallet feature.

Recognitions and awards

In 2017, he won the Build For My City Hackathon in Abuja, Nigeria hosted by CoCreation Hub, In 2018, he was selected as one of the 20 LEAP Africa Social Innovators by LEAP Africa. In 2018, Ezirim was awarded the Queen's Young Leader Award by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, United Kingdom.In 2018, he was selected as a YouthActioNet Fellow US. In 2019, he was selected as a Global Engagement Summit Delegate in Northwestern University, Illinois, US, In 2019, he was selected to join the prestigious Goalkeepers community as a Global Goalkeeper at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which convenes annually in New York during the UN General Assembly

References

1. https://guardian.ng/life/three-nigerians-receive-queen-elizabeths-young-leaders-award/ Queens Young Leaders Award
2. https://inklinemedia.org/2019/02/24/bringing-the-power-of-technology-to-rural-africa/ Media
3. https://teenscancode.com.ng/ Teens Can Code
4. https://virtuallysafe.org/ Virtually Safe
5. https://dailynorthwestern.com/2021/04/23/campus/global-engagement-summit-to-return-virtually-this-weekend-for-first-time-since-2019/ Northwestern University
6. https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/07/19/teens-can-code-sensitises-students-on-online-security/ Online Safety Project
7. https://guardian.ng/teens-can-code-gets-africa-online-safety-fund-selection-2/ Google.org funding
8. https://businesspost.ng/technology/underprivileged-students-to-undergo-computer-programming-training/ Do Your Bit
9. https://www.bellanaija.com/2020/12/isaac-damian-ezirim-of-teens-can-code-is-our-bellanaijamcm-this-week/#:~:text=Isaac%20is%20one%20of%20the,we're%20rooting%20for%20him! Media