ODIBO logo ODIBO DONATE
Home  /  About
About Us

Training, mentoring, and a name that means apprentice.

Established in 2021, we provide comprehensive training and mentoring to help close the skills gap and prepare people of African descent to succeed in today’s ever-evolving workforce. In 2023, we expanded to offer support and guidance for entrepreneurs, both current and future, through our E-Commerce Incubator and business-plan assistance. Our members are based in Nigeria and the United States.

A young Odibo apprentice teaching two younger boys woodworking in a workshop
Our Name

“Odibo” means Apprentice in Igbo, inspired by the indigenous model of education: learning a trade by serving as an apprentice to a master craftsperson. We revive that tradition for the modern global economy — participants enter Basic Training, build real-world skills, and complete the program ready to compete for work anywhere in the world, not just where they happen to live.

Our Motto

“Ụwa BỤ Ahia”

Motto: The World is a Marketplace — an Igbo proverb reminding every participant to prepare for and compete in the global job market, not just the one immediately around them.

Our Founding Story

“Every participant becomes tomorrow’s mentor.”

In 2021, our founder was inspired to invest in educational uplift in his ancestral homeland — the Arochukwu Kingdom, Abia State, Nigeria — responding to trends he saw across Nigeria and other African nations: high unemployment and underemployment, and a widespread loss of hope driving talented people to seek opportunity anywhere but home. That vision culminated in a December gathering, and Basic Training was piloted a few weeks later. Four participants completed the program.

The following year, those participants became the mentors for the next class — two more completed the program that year. That cycle still runs today.

Aro Youths Tech Savvy Hangout 2021 event flyer Chat with Aro Brand Ambassadors event flyer
The December 2021 gathering in Arochukwu that led to Basic Training
December 29, 2021 — the Aro Youths Tech Savvy Hangout in Arochukwu, Abia State: the gathering that led to Basic Training.
Our Process

Mindset, skillset, toolset.

Mindset

Preparation
Patience
Professionalism

Grounded in “Ụwa BỤ Ahia” — participants learn to prepare for and compete in the global job market, not just the one immediately around them.

Skillset

Tech Skills Email, video conferencing, prompt engineering Soft Skills Public speaking, presentation, networking

Toolset

Google Workspace & Microsoft Office
Data & audiovisual production tools
AI tools, including ChatGPT & Canva
Learning that is: SERVICE‑ORIENTED PROJECT‑BASED COLLABORATIVE LIFELONG