
International Leadership &
Business Internship Summit
Team: Jobs Computer Repair
Our Life-Changing Project
Business Owner:Abdullahi Umar
Location: Birshi Village, Bauchi State Nigeria
Story of the business
Abdullahi has always had a desire to provide excellent computer services which drew him to learn all he could at an early stage, and, eventually, he began the business. Abdullahi opened his own business because he wanted to combine his knowledge of computers with his passion for providing excellent service. He provides internet services; provide software installations for his customer, he also provides photocopying services, digital passports and printing services. He enjoys working with the centre. He sees it as an opportunity to boost his skills on hardware computer maintenance and enhance his potential to grow his business. He is very excited at the future he sees now that he has Leadership Initiatives helping him grow his business.
About The Owner Abdullahi Umar
Abdullahi Umar began working with the center in 2011. He was put in charge of website and software design. Umar graduated from Federal polytechnic Bauchi in the same year, where he read Computer science. Since then he has been with the center.
Community Impact
Abdullahi Umar provides the local community with low-cost computer training and repairs and has become a hub for computer training and printing service. Many Nigerian high school kids have had the opportunity of receiving low cost computer training during their summer break with Abdullahi Umar. These services have allowed multiple families and individuals who couldn’t afford computer training in other high end schools to get the needed training. Abdullahi is also training community members looking to develop their skills computer services so they can apply to the growing computer job market within Nigeria.Because of the success of Abdullahi’s computer training program, government agencies and schools have hired their services to provide low-cost training to their government officials, teachers and students. The demand is so high Abdullahi and his team have traveled to 14 different areas within Bauchi state, providing computer training to over 200 people this year alone.
Our Solutions
Re-branding his shop
As you can see, his doors show that he photocopies, and that is it. To fix this we will first repaint the front which will be able to attract customers with the colors. Having the business name and the logo will also be painted on the front. Our final proposed change is on the blank doors showing the numerous services on them. This will really help Mr. Umar in showing the other services he does and help expand his business.
Banners and Fliers
When we Skype called our partner for the second time he went more in-depth about how people who come in for one service don’t know about the other services he offers and therefore he requested a banner hung in his shop for those who come in to see all the other services offered. Similarly, once we heard that most of his clients come from a nearby college only a couple of blocks away we knew we had to maximize this opportunity for the most clients to come to him.
We brainstormed and thought about how colleges here solicit its students into their clubs and nearby organizations and we realized that fliers were commonly used and could be a viable option over there. These fliers will be put in strategic places where college students are most. In classrooms, hallways, and in the common area. Not just that but we urge Mr. Umar to go outside and hand out fliers for the college students outside.

KODAK Digital Still Camera
Social Media
As the world moves into the digital era, we, too, need to move with it. Through the use of multiple social media sites, we can help spread the word about the business. The social media platforms that we have created profiles for include Facebook, Whatsapp, and Instagram, 3 of the biggest platforms in all of Nigeria.
Even more important than the exposure, it provides Umar with the opportunity to grow relationships with his target audience, students. His fans, followers, and connections are people who know his organization, have likely done business with him in the past and will be most likely to tell their friends about him.

Niam Morar

Class of 2020
My name is Niam Morar and I am a rising junior at the Miami Valley School in Dayton, Ohio. During my high school career I have been in multiple advanced classes, have been class president for four years in a row, am the Editor-in-Chief for the school's yearbook, and partake in my schools junior IBIP team. The way I got introduced to IBIP was through a presentation given to us during my 8th grade school year given by the first MVS IBIP team. After this presentation, some peers and I went to the presenters and expressed our interests in the program for when we are in high school. The conversation continued until our Sophomore year when we were allowed to form our own team.

Sean Yamaguchi

Class of 2021
My name is Sean Thomas Yamaguchi and I’m currently a rising sophomore at the California Academy of Mathematics and Science in Carson, California. During my time at school, I’ve enjoyed participating in multiple clubs and other extracurricular activities. I’m an active member of the CAMS Key, MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement) Clubs. In addition, I’m a member of the Torrance Youth Council and a curator for our school’s TEDx Youth event. These programs help me improve my leadership abilities and allow me to help others who are in more need than myself. I am extremely excited to enact a new solution that may alter the life of someone less fortunate than me.. I truly hope that I can assist in the implementation of something new and bold so that I can assist in changing the lives of others.

Sid Thakker

Class of 2021
My name is Sid Thakker and I am a rising sophomore at James Madison High School in Vienna, Virginia. During my current high school experience, I have taken many rigorous classes including honors and AP courses. I participate in many clubs such as Model UN and Science Olympiad. These clubs have allowed me to attend regional and state competitions .I also play on my varsity tennis team. I am part of the NHS program at our school. While being the president of Biology/Chemistry club we are able to tutor kids in biology and chemistry. Working in this club abled us to expand the knowledge of science in our school. And made it possible for many kids to excel in these classes. In NHS tutoring peers is a big part of it. We were able to help students in all sorts of subjects ranging from Spanish to Physics. I’m excited to work with the International Business Leadership program. And look forward to learning many new concepts and also having the chance to implement our solutions into real time. With this we can truly make a global impact one community at a time.

Isabelle Weiss

Rising Senior
My name is Isabelle Weiss and I am a rising senior at Roosevelt High School in Seattle Washington. Throughout my high school career, I have taken many advanced classes in addition to my participation in sports such as swim and dive as well as rugby. Currently, I am a member of Key Club International and National Honors Society. I am involved in the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps program. Currently I am a Petty Officer 1st class. This program deals with the leadership and development in teens through military methods, skills, and knowledge. I am very excited to work with Leadership Initiatives to improve lives and help business owners such as Abdullahi Umar, with short-term as well as long-term solutions for their businesses.
Our Internship Highlights
Meeting Our Business Partner
Our team began the solution-development process by having a one-on-one Skype call directly with Abdullahi in Nigeria. We learned more about his life, family, and business—as well as the issues he was having.
By discussing first-hand the problems Abdullahi faced, our team successfully and efficiently began to brainstorm solutions to improve his business. The on-staff translators and business development experts helped facilitate the process and ensured our team asked the right questions to put us on the right path to change the world.

Expert Assistance Work Shop

Our team then met with leading experts in the field of business and community development, from top US companies and the State Department, as well as specialized mentors in the field our solutions focused on.
We streamlined our initial solutions and used their guidance to further our efforts in solving Abdullahi’s problems. Our team advanced our communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills through hands-on project management and development.
Nigerian Embassy Consulting & Embassy Immersion Event
The Nigerian Embassy invited our team for an exclusive tour, a presentation on Nigerian economic development, and a banquet with top diplomats. We ate authentic Nigerian cuisine, immersed ourselves in the culture, and discussed problems facing Abdullahi and the country as a whole.
Our team also had the opportunity to tour other embassies, including the People’s Republic of China, France, Sweden, Israel, Austria, South Korea and Turkey, as well as a European Union lecture focused on international development and immigration issues.

Business Consulting, Speaking and Partnership Review By Leading Development Experts

Throughout the course of the program, our team also met one-on-one with leadership and community development experts. They offered advice on communicating effectively, reviewed our solution proposal, and briefed us on the upcoming presentation.
This consultation gave our team the confidence and acumen to develop practical solutions and present them to the panel.
Solution Review By Leaders from Dartmouth, the United Nations, the State Department and the Pentagon
Our team presented the final solutions to Shehu and a panel of expert judges from Dartmouth, the UN, the State Department, the Pentagon, and Nigerian Development experts. This formal presentation allowed our team to practice our skills and measure the effectiveness of our communication, all while showcasing our efforts to transform Shehu’s business and life.
This culmination of hard work truly demonstrated the impact our team had on Shehu and completed a life-changing week of personal growth for each and every one of us.
