Delta Air Lines said it has expanded its global support of Junior Achievement (JA) by partnering with the organisation in Africa.
The airline said it would sponsor JA Africa’s Innovation Camps and Company of the Year (COY) programmes in Lagos, Nigeria, and Dakar, Senegal, over the next 12 months.
 “We have seen the benefits young people gain from Junior Achievement initiatives and extending Delta’s association to more of our global markets will enable a greater number of students to achieve their academic and career goals,†said Delta’s Commercial Director East and West Africa, Bobby Bryan.
“We are looking forward to working with the organization and hopefully inspiring more young people to consider a career in aviation,†he added.
 The airline explained that the COY programme is the signature showcase for both JA and the high school students who complete the initial JA Company Program®.
It explained that the annual event allows young people to demonstrate in a competitive environment how their business and entrepreneurial acumen would engage business, education and policy leaders.
The Company Programme empowers groups of young people aged 15-19 to set up and run a real business over the course of an academic year. They make all the decisions about their business, from deciding on the company name and product, to creating a business plan, managing their finances and selling their products. The winners from the Lagos and Dakar national competitions, along with twelve other countries where the scheme runs, will be invited to take part in the African final later this year in Johannesburg.
 “We are honoured to have received this grant from Delta Air Lines. Delta has been among JA’s strongest supporters globally, contributing significantly to our mission around the world. We are excited to continue our partnership with Delta to promote youth economic empowerment in Africa†said Elizabeth Bintliff, CEO of JA Africa.
 JA’s Innovation Camps, meanwhile, provide a forum for students to address a specific business challenge and work in groups to find ways to overcome the issue at hand. During the one-day camp, the team members may not know each other but will have to adapt quickly and find out how to work together most efficiently and effectively. Through this, they learn new skills including problem solving, communication, team building and troubleshooting. The Innovation Camps offer an experiential learning environment for students based on a real-life business situation.
