Youth Can Nigeria is a community impact initiative under the Pan-African Youth Leadership Program (PAYLP)—a prestigious U.S. Department of State youth exchange program delivered by Meridian International Center.
This platform documents how Nigerian teenagers are designing and executing solutions to pressing local problems—supported by leadership training, mentorship, and community partnerships.
Our 2025 cohort is working in Abeokuta, Jeida, Kayarda, and Kuchiako, tackling issues in environmental health, food security, and education.
About the Mentor
Irene Bangwell is the 2025 PAYLP Adult Mentor curating the Youth Can Nigeria Initiative.
She serves as the national coordinator supporting the three young grantees as they implement community solutions across Ogun State and the Federal Capital Territory.
She is the co-founder of the KNOSK N100-a-Day Charity Secondary School, an innovative low-cost school model providing quality education for children from low-income families. For over a decade, she has taught, coached, and designed programs that help young people build leadership, character, and community-impact skills.
As a 2025 Pan-African Youth Leadership Program (PAYLP) Adult Mentor, Irene works alongside the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center to guide fellows through project planning, civic engagement, and responsible service learning. Her role includes ensuring safeguarding, financial accountability, communication with stakeholders, and helping the young leaders turn their ideas into impactful and sustainable initiatives.
She brings her experience mentoring hundreds of teenagers through the 10/10 Girl Squad, as well as her background in educational innovation, youth leadership development, and community engagement. Irene believes strongly that young people are capable of driving transformation when they are given structure, tools, and support.
Through Youth Can Nigeria, she is committed to ensuring that Divine, Laura, and Dinatu implement their projects safely, confidently, and with the highest standards of excellence.