The Overcomers; Temitope Awelewa {2}

To read the first part of this challenging story, click here

Now The Transformation

One female presenter had been following me since the first episode on Facebook and she sent me an invitation for her radio program in Akure.

It was huge for me being my first interview on Radio. I went with one of my Team members for the interview. As we were coming out of the studio, another presenter who had heard the story I shared said I must feature on her TV show too so I slept over in Akure while my Team member returned home. A neighbor back at home saw this interview and then called my mother to watch. She saw the interview and bust into tears. She called me immediately I was done and for the first time said “I’m proud of you“. That changed everything.

For Episode 5 of Let’s Feed A Market Child, my mum was the Chairperson and the one who shared the food. That particular day, there was no food in the house but she shared the little with us, joyfully buying and believing in my dreams. Today, LET’S FEED A MARKET CHILD has been to many villages in Ekiti State, adopted over 153 children and helped them to get back to school. Recently one of the girls we enrolled in school was made the senior prefect, it was my most fulfilling moment as a young Entrepreneur

I became the Editor-in-chief in EKSU, maybe the most popular one and had close relationships with the school’s who is who! Some unknown families who saw what I was doing on Facebook added me to their family pay roll and sent me money whenever they sent to their children. I have not met them till now. My consistency as an entrepreneur has made many people to believe in what I started that it truly is capable of changing lives. Many friends and mentees got inspired and started a movement to inspire and affect lives too.

I graduated from Geology department in EKSU and wrote a proposal to start a radio program. I met the Director and he read my proposal. It was my first time of meeting him but unknown to me, he was my friend on Facebook. He opened their proposal box for me and said, “we have thousands of them from different people there is no space but let’s do something”. He wrote a small note for me to go and give to someone and on my way I opened it and read “Please he will start with us, give him few orientation and put him on air on Monday” That was how I got a program without even auditioning.

A friend I met on the field of impact shared an opportunity with me and I applied. I was selected as a ONE champion. A south African based organization that empowers girl child and enforces policies. I was among the 50 guys selected from Nigeria and my flight was booked for the conference, it really was like a joke!

So they offered me a platform and started supporting my initiatives with money and materials. I’m presently the champion representing Ekiti state. Last month I concluded my Accra Ghana Yali Cohort 6 Fellowship, Yali is Young African Leadership Initiative, initiated by Barrack Obama. And I’m now presently a YALI member.

Funny enough, my Dad has never asked me for my result since I graduated from EKSU.  He didn’t even bother me anymore for youth service that was their priority before now. They saw waves that certificates cannot make so they bothered less about them. These waves are not through my Geology certificate but through the secret I found long ago about my Gifts. I’ve got many testimonies.

Let me share this last one!

Few months ago a multi-million company in Lagos was looking for a reputable recruitment company to help them recruit staff for their company and a friend thought of me and recommended me as a social entrepreneur and a sincere vibrant youth that could do it. I was called and I did do it! Many folks got employments I got fulfillment. We raised over 1 million Naira for cancer patients last year because people now believe so much in us.

Here is my advice! Find Purpose. Your purpose in life is your key to success. Jesus Christ said; “the gift of a man maketh ways for him“. He didn’t say “The certificate”. Find your gift. It will make you to stand among Kings and Queens. Every door will open up for you with consistency and sincerity of purpose driving your gift.

Do not compete with anyone! We all have our tracks and your whistle is so different. If you are trying to compete, you will only get frustrated. Focus on your path, love yourself, encourage yourself, push yourself to success. Only YOU can Stop YOU.

Your background is not enough reason to put your back on the ground. Focus on nothing else but YOU. Take up a challenge or problem and provide solutions to them. Wherever or whenever you are solving a problem, you are making something out of it. The mistake we are making now is that most of us are looking for money everywhere without solving a problem. Go ahead, make impact. Solve a problem, be different and the world will celebrate you.

You Are Never Alone