The NOW- Us Award (Nothing about us Without Us Award) is a partnership between Partos, Spindle and the Voice Team to celebrate inclusion as part of the Annual Partos Innovation Festival. This project aims to promote inclusive initiatives, triggering empowerment of excluded groups which are often the hardest to reach in our society. Therefore, innovative approaches to strengthening their capacity to lobby and build advocacy as well as their empowerment processes are essential through linking and learning platforms. Such platforms encourage the  sharing of lessons learnt and provide fora for grantees to tap into and gain mutual understanding and empowerment of the most marginalised and discriminated groups. This project is implemented in Nigeria by the Africa Caribbean Heritage Alliance, ACHA through Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Non-Profit Organizations (NGOs) and Community Based Organizations, (CBOs) as a means through which the voices of the marginalized are heard and inclusion of all thematic areas accepted at all levels. The target groups usually referred as rightsholders include:

• Vulnerable, Elderly and Youth
• Indigenous People and Ethnic Minorities
• Women facing exploitation abuse and or violence
• People with Disabilities
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people.

The goal of this bootcamp is to create an enabling environment, encourage conversations in safe and secure spaces where participants will understand the “Now Us Award” concept, overall project framework and consolidate their collective voices in celebration of unsung heroes and heroines. These efforts help to take our communities one step closer to a responsive and inclusive society. At the end of the bootcamp, participants will be well prepared through various trainings and group discussions to pitch their ideas and stand a chance of winning one of the small grants. The participants will also learn about the Voice Initiative in Nigeria and other upcoming grant opportunities.

The 5-day bootcamp starts on Monday, 13th June, 2022 and will be concluded on the 17th June, 2022 is packed with a lot of activities and events that would be concluded with a dinner and edutainment on Friday.