I HAVE A GRATITUDE LIST TO SHARE BEFORE THE YEAR ENDS.
It's a list that mentioned a few individuals, organizations, and events that made my 2022.
1. Teach for Nigeria
I've shared most of the opportunities I've had with TFN this year. It's not limited to;
- The Visit of the board members to Ilagbo and all that led to it, the Internship opportunity at the Pre-service training institute, the Valedictorian Speech, and some volunteering experiences.
All thanks to Folawe, Coach Gideon, Bosede Ogidan, and all coaches and staff whose kind gestures and feedback encouraged me more. Thank you!
2. Teach For All :
An experience that started with a congratulatory message received by Esther Odekunle for being selected as a member of the Student Leaders Advisory Council. It was an opportunity that gave my work global recognition, to say.
It was a great learning curve mentoring Esther on this journey. She has a global and encouraging digital footprint. Shared her story in a global book, and spoke at more than four Teach for All Global events, including the Network Breakthrough. I'm glad she was teachable and didn't get tired.
All these were achievable through the support of someone I admire for her passion and kind heart to teach and help with the needed guidance. I'm grateful for everything you've been helping with, Sanaya Bharucha. Thanks to Tarek Chedidi, Rebecca, and all who made our voices heard.
3. KLCI and LACED Africa Family: I can always trace my impact story to this family. Through the support and every opportunity I had, I was able to get some things done with little effort. The Skill2Rural Boot camp has been an eye-opener from Day 1 and I was able to lead this twice in Idata/Ilagbo community.
The partnership is a blessing. Thanks to our Senior Program Manager, Omolola Lipide for accepting this. Thanks to my colleagues, Jimoh Abiola Mustapha, Fatimah Muhammed, Shalom Adedeji, and others, who doubled as my support system in LACED Africa- Literacy for African Child Education and Development
To the boss, himself, Hammed Kayode Alabi, It's another remarkable and excellent year with you.
4. Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni Association of Nigeria and the BSCC 2021 challenge.
We were trusted with a seed grant of 250 thousand for the Community Tech LAB project but many had thought that this would be executed.
If we had allowed how cumbersome the project is, in terms of the proposed budget, we wouldn't have done it. But we did, and that God we did.
A yes to this, was a yes to several opportunities we had from it, and there is more to come. We believe! My gratitude goes to Barrister Ahmad Adetola-Kazeem for his constant motivation moving forward on this.
5. My students are my superheroes (Idata/Ilagbo Community Senior High School).
They supported us. We built the structure with local resources. We bought some of these materials and they fetched others themselves with the support of their parents. We started and completed the Community Tech LAB fellowship and we learned through the experience.
6. Special thanks to Mr. Lawal Abioye Lateef for being a father and believing in us and supporting us beyond measure. Thanks to Mr. Ajayi (Mr. A.Y) for being resourceful during the CT Lab fellowship. Special thanks to Mr. Clement for his support and the creative ideas he brought into building the structure. I can't continue to mention it.
7. However, some bodies couldn't support us because we had a local structure. We had wished we had a better one, we would have done more than this together. Others feared the target population for the fellowship and felt it was too small. As my mentor would say, "It's not about the numbers but the organic growth and the progressive impact". We might have played too safe in the game of numbers but we feel fulfilled in the courage we put into at least supporting more than one child.
8. LearnXplore: The 250k you supported me with influenced my motivation for the Minna Trip, securing Esther's passport, and managing some fina in June 2022.
That was the first time I had such kindness, to appreciate the work I do in literacy development.
9. My gratitude is endless but nothing with God Almighty. Who am I to say 'I did this without the One who showed mercy in every step? I am grateful to my Lord.
© Afeez Olalekan Saka 2022 #Sakaspeaks
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