From the 16th until the 20th December 2019, the 1st African Training Week took place in Athens, co-organized with the University of Piraeus, the University of West Attica and the Youthmakers Hub. Nine university professors from 7 African educational institutions were briefed on mobility opportunities between universities, discussed the possibilities of European funding programs such as Erasmus+ and also explored opportunities for collaborating with each other. As part of their visit to Athens, Youthmakers Hub had developed a daily schedule of meetings and visits to stakeholders.

16-20/12/2019                        Activity

We organized the Opening Ceremony for our office in Kallithea, Athens. More than 350 friends,family members, partners, stakeholders and policy makers passed by our office to wish us a good start. 2 days full of music, food, discussions and our unique coctails: Erasmus+, Youthmakers Hub and WE AfriHug! On the second floor, we presented the video WE AfriHug 2019.

14-15/12/2019                        Event
                           WE AfriHug

Sotiris represented the team at the YOUTH@WORK: Youth Entrepreneurship Conference that took place in Mersin, Turkey on 3rd until 7th of December 2019. The emphasis of the conference was the cooperation between formal and non-formal (youth work) education providers, employment, social & business sectors, (social) entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders. The conference gathered experts with global mindsets ready to make a change in their own communities first.

3-7/12/2019               Participation in Conference

Marilena participated in the Youth Contest Forum in the framework of the Conference MED Rome Dialogues 2019, which took place in Rome, Italy. Marilena pitched WE AfriHug 2020 in front of a big audience and a judging committee consisted of Policy Makers from various Institutions, European Union and ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy among others.

4-6/12/2019               Participation in Conference
                           WE AfriHug

Konstantinos participated in the Forbes under 30 summit Europe in Germany.

1-3/12/2019               Participation in Conference

Youthmakers Hub visited the Regional Centre of Information of United Nations in Brussels. We had the honour to discuss with Dimitris Fatouros, Communication Specialist for Greece and Cyrpus at the United Nations Regional Information Centre- UNRIC regarding our initiative to bring closr Africa and Europe through WE AfriHug and our contribution at the implementation of the Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

14/11/2019                        Meeting
                           WE AfriHug

WE AfriHug was chosen as one of the best ESAA funded projects by the European Commission for 2019. Konstantinos presented our winning model and impact during the NEO-ICP meeting 2019 in the capital of Europe, Brussels. We received positive feedback from Erasmus+ National Agencies and European Commission Representatives for our initiative to bring closer Africa & Europe through Erasmus+.

14/11/2019                Presentation in Conference
                           WE AfriHug

Marilena participated in the Paris Peace Forum 2019 together with AU-EU Youth Cooperation Hub, presenting to High level Policy makers concrete projects on how we can bring closer Africa and Europe through education.

11-13/11/2019                 Presentation in event

The newspaper “KATHIMERINI” published us on the first page and wrote a 1-page article first page on a Saturday morning. It is featuring our Africa-related work and the links we create between Africa and Europe in the field of Higher education.

9/11/2019                       Newspaper

Youthmakers Hub implemented the project “Mind The Gap” funded by ESAA (Erasmus Students Alumni Association) and co-organized by garagErasmus4Athens, Erasmus Mundus Association Greece, JEF Europe, Greek Youth Mobility and Balkans Beyond Borders. The objectives of the project were a) to raise awareness about Erasmus+ and to inform Youth about mobility opportunities, b) to build the Capacity of Youth with the necessary tools for the 21st century, and c) to engage Policy makers to support Youth Action. The project brought together Youth to be trained and act as multipliers of knowledge. International grassroots organizations cooperated with ESAA organizations to exchange networks, ideas and opportunities. The project included one Policy Makers Forum, and one 2-day Capacity Building Training Seminar with two workshops: 1. Project Management & Submission of Erasmus+ projects, and 2. Pitching, Mobility Opportunities and Tips for applications. Most of the participants attended both workshops. The 2-day Capacity Building Training Seminar, implemented in Athens, Greece, aimed to empower Youth (18-30) in Greece to act as advocates of the European Union idea and values.

October - December 2019                  Project
                          Mind the Gap

Youthmakers Hub participated at the Digital Expo 2019 taking place at the area of Peristeri in Athens during the weekend 28th to 29h of September 2019. It was a 2-day event with more than 20.000 people coming and we had a big team there, in order to interact and network. Youthmakers Hub team hosted a kiosk, promoting the organization and its services. Moroever, we participated in two events: The first one was the pitching contest powered by Tenebra studios, in which Konstantinos, pitched WE Afriug 2020 and the second one was the interactive presentation on "Innovation and Technology in Africa" by Marilena, co-foudner and Sotiris, Administrative Executive of Youthmakers Hub.

28-29/09/2019                        Event
                           WE AfriHug

Youthmakers Hub team participated in Connected We Stand Festival that took place at Syntagma, heart of Athens, Greece at 21st of September 2019. In collaboration with the organization KINITRO, we co-organized a game on social inclusion based on the treasure hunt game. The station of Youthmakers Hub was entitled as " Africa is not a country" and the participants had to answer various Africa-related questions in order to proceed to the next station of the treasure hunt game.

21/9/2019                          Event

Konstantinos participated in the European Forum Alpbach 2019, which took place in Alpbach in Austria on 14th until 30th of August 2019.. The European Forum Alpbach is an interdisciplinary platform for science, politics, business and culture. Established in 1945, the annual European Forum Alpbach and their events throughout the year address the relevant socio-political questions of their time. Konstantinos attended among other seminars the seminar "Liberty & Security in Africa: Voices from the Continent and Beyond", presented by Gerald Hainzl , Leena Koni Hoffmann & Amara Nwankpa. New insights and knowledge from an African point of view have enlightened the participants who have actively contributed to fruitful discussions on Freedom, Liberty, Security, Democracy, Colonialism, Decolonization, Migration and more.

14-30/08/2019               Participation at Seminar

Konstantinos participated in the Youth at Work Partnership kick off conference with Youth Work experts from all around Europe. The confrence took place in Instabul, Turkey on 5th - 9th June 2019.

25-29/06/2019                Presentation in event

Marilena delivered a 2-day training on Project Management in Bonn, Germany at Gustav Stressmann Institute during the Skills Seminar of ESAA. Around 30 participants gained basic knowledges of project management through non-formal education activities. All participants were members of the Erasmus Students Alumni Association (garagErasmus, OCEANS, ESN, Erasmus Mundus Association).

21-23/06/2019                  Training Seminar

Konstantinos presented WE AfriHug in Bonn, Germany at Gustav Stressmann Institute & ESAA on 21st of June 2019.

21/6/2019                  Presentation in event
                          WE AfriHug

"WE AfriHug was presented in Malaga during the annual meeting of garagErasmus Foundation on 16th of June 2019. ""We could not imagine even in our best dreams that from the first year of the competition, we would find a project like that"" stated Carlo Bitetto, Director of garagErasmus Foundation. The foundation has been supporting the project since 2018 with the award Golden Laissez Passer, given to Konstantinos Maragkos and in 2019 the foundation was one of the project's organizers."

16/6/2019                  Presentation in event
                          WE AfriHug

"Joseph Thukia Wanjiku, Master student at the Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management of Kenyatta University was the first African Erasmus+ student at the University of Piraeus. Joseph spent his spring exchange semester in Greece at the University of Piraeus thanks to the partnership we created last year between the two Universities."

February - May 2019                 Milestone

WE AfriHug is a project of Youthmakers Hub. It is an educational project being implemented in Africa every year, with a different edition. For the edition of 2019, it was selected by ESAA and the European Commission for funds and it was implemented in 4 African countries (Ethiopia, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana) from February until May 2019. During WE AfriHug 2019, we conducted 5 Training Seminars at Civil Society Organizations and 5 Training Seminars at Higer Education Institutions in the above countries. Our vision is to bring Africa and Europe closer through education. Our mission is to empower Youth through capacity building create and to connections between AU – EU HEIs & CSOs. Our values are: Thinking global – Acting local, Afrocentric approach, Collaboration, Co-creation, Respect for local communities.

February - May 2019                   Project
                         WE AfriHug

WE AfriHug was presented at the European Parliament, as the winning project of Golden Laissez Passer, Version I, by garagErasmus Foundation on 8th of February 2019. Great honour for our project to have such a recognition.

8/2/2019                  Presentation in event
                        WE AfriHug

Dr. Esther Kagure and Dr. Rahab Muthoni ,Chairperson of the Department of Hospitality & Tourism and Lecturer of the Department of Hospitality Management , respectively,both academics from Kenyatta University in Nairobi-Kenya visited Greece through the mobilities of Erasmus+. Both academics came to Greece through the partnership with the University of Piraeus, facilitated by WE AfriHug team. Youthmakers Hub team was responsible for their stay and organized study visits to several stakeholders in order to discuss about future partnerships.

19-28/01/2019                 Event / Milestone
                         WE AfriHug

The leading committee of Protagonistes Zois from Cyprus powered by Athens Money Show 2019 organized the 1st honorary ceremony for awards for Young talents - Role models Athens, Greece on 19th of Jauary 2019. WE AfriHug project was awarded in the "Social impact" category. Representives from the team received the award at the Ceremony that took place at Divani Hotel at the centre of Athens.

19/01/2019                        Award
                          WE AfriHug