Successful launch of ‘PDAid Foundation’ at ‘Fight for your Neighbour’ event in Nairobi

The PDAid Foundation was successfully launched during the ‘Fight for your Neighbour’ event held at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, 27 February 2015.

Attending the event, and equally supporting the foundation, were highly profiled people – among these: Mr. Geert Andersen, the Danish Ambassador to Kenya, Mr. Robert F. Godec, the U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, a representative of UK High Commission, Hon. Dr. Hassan Wario Arero, Kenya Sports Cabinet Secretary and Dr. Auma Obama, Director of the Sauti Kuu Foundation.

Fight for your Neighbour event
The launch of the PDAid Foundation took place during the ‘Fight for your Neighbour’ event at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, organized by Kilimanjaro Initiative in support of Fight for Peace’s Global Alumni Program, which uses boxing and martial arts to engage and support young persons to become positive role models in their communities. Participants came from around the world, including more than 500 youth and a group of influential people, including ambassadors of Denmark and USA as well as representatives of high commissions and cabinet secretariats in Kenya. The event was a roaring success, including not only the launch of the foundation but also, speeches, music, dance performances, boxing and martial arts.

The launch of the PDAid Foundation proved very successful, and quite honestly with a turnout larger than expected. It pleases me to see nations unite in order to share knowledge and create a sense of local community – a community with a confidence that the PDAid Foundation provides the necessary means to improve the situation of young individuals in developing countries.
– explains Founder, Dennis Lundoe Nielsen

While announcing the launch of the PDAid Foundation, the Danish Ambassador to Kenya, Geert Andersen, stated that he and the Danish Embassy hope to achieve viable improvements within growth, democracy and human rights in developing countries. The ambassador stressed that strong community is best achieved through local support, and expressed his hopes that PDAid Foundation would act as a stepping-stone towards this goal.

PDAid Foundation
The PDAid Foundation represents a concept for sponsorship and mentoring of young talents. Through education, financial means, personal communication and mentorships, the PDAid Foundation supports young talents in becoming positive change agents within corporate and societal management. The overall goal is to help young individuals from developing countries to positively change the conditions within their local communities. Building on the concept of a mentoring programme, the aim is to influence young individuals to develop good attitudes and solid values within the fundamental issues of human rights, democracy and sustainability.

Partnership with the Kilimanjaro Initiative (KI)
The foundation cooperates with local NGOs in developing countries on talent development, which stems from a belief that future leaders – if provided with the right support and influence – will contribute positively to the development of their communities.

The notion of the foundation stems from the collaboration initiated through the ‘Kilimanjaro Initiative’ NGO (KI) headquartered in Kenya. The main objective of KI is to encourage young people to have self-belief and to assist in providing opportunities that will enable them to take on a constructive role in their communities. As a key feature of its activities, KI organizes an annual ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain on the African continent. Through its wide range of youth-based community activities and expertise within local logistics, KI constitutes a perfect match as the local partner to the PDAid Foundation.

Building on a solid collaboration with KI as the local partner, the PDAid Foundation seeks further collaboration with private and public sponsors, relevant organizations and NGOs in order to locate and support suitable talents, through sponsors and mentors – the latter primarily from the private business world.

First two mentees
John Senteu Letite, a 24-year-old Kenyan, is the first of two participants to the PDAid Foundation. John joins the programme with a hope that it will help him develop through mentorship and education. Bentamegan Pritie, a 25-year-old Kenyan, is the second participant to the foundation. Bentamegan states that she is going to give the PDAid Foundation her “undivided attention, and work hand in hand with everyone in it to make sure it pushes through“. Moreover, Bentamegan says that she feels “honoured and privileged to be a part of this amazing foundation“, and that she “would like to see others benefit from it in future“.

Mentors
As the founders of the PDAid Foundation, Dennis and Pia Nielsen have appointed an Advisory Board of highly competent individuals within their particular field of expertise. The Advisory Board members have acquired knowledge to influence young people and develop good attitudes and values within the fundamental issues of human rights, democracy and sustainability.