It has always been my desire as a young kid to be very successful and help others. Even as a kid, I could not explain the feeling i got when I shared something with other kids and seeing them just put up that smile and appreciate it; it was a feeling i could not explain. It felt so right and felt like that is just just what i am supposed to do or born to do. My elder sister's did take advantage of that really since often at times they will just maneuver me to get to give them a great portion of my snacks. As a kid back then, thought it was the praises i get when i do such things that really made me happy but growing up and looking back, i realized it was not the praises but the smiles, the happiness and how what i did made others feel that really made me happy.
Like i said before, I always dreamed of becoming successful so as to help others. My biggest role model was Bill Gates, his life, achievements and what he was doing was an inspiration for me. So with this dream of mine, I was so focused on making it big or high up there so as to help in a more impactful way but forgot that my little acts even as a child were helping already. I looked down on the small things that i did for others my eyes only fixed on making it big so that i can really help others, atleast that was what i thought. This was how things were for a long time until i was selected to be part of the online African Changemakers Fellowship . This was going to be the turning point of events and the eye opener i needed to see that I could still do a lot to help with the little things i did with the little that i have.
The African Changemakers Fellowship (ACF) was an online programme that ran for a period of 3months from February-April 2018. It was at this fellowship and all that i got from the training, the amazing activities, the guest speakers, and new people that i connected with that i was able to reconnect with my passion fully again. After the program, I knew i had to move from only dreaming to living the dream. I realized wanting and vouching for change was not enough, but being the change and acting like it was necessary. So this program greatly influenced me and reaffirmed my stand as a Changemaker.
I decided it was time to act like it and from this decision, I moved from becoming successful to help others to just helping others with whatever i had at that moment. A shift from an aspiring dream in the future to living it in the present.
It was also thanks to this fellowship that i met the amazing Mr. Ngalim Franklin, founder of the 
So during this training, i knew i had to put all i had grasped into action and that was just what i was pondering on one day when a long time secondary school friend told me of an idea he had to create a group of devoted and zealous youths who want to make an impact in their community. I was open and eager to hear what he had in mind; so he said, Look we are still students and don't have much but what about on our birthdays where we celebrate, why not go and celebrate such occasions with the needy and less privileged. I knew this was the opportunity and i welcomed it so gladly. It was not the ideal start i wanted but every great organisation or entity had humble backgrounds and i knew i had to start from somewhere. So together we started working on the idea and we were able to get about 18 members who understood our vision and long term goals.
Amongst the 18, only a small number of about say 9 really grasped and shared the vision but that was not going to stop us. My friend was so amazed and happy how i embraced and understood the idea, if only he knew that he was used to give me just the opportunity and idea i needed. We faced a lot of challenges with one being distance. Most of us were scattered all over the country and a few abroad but we did not let that get to us. We were determined to get this little project of ours going. We worked on the naming our group, a possible website and other things. We finally concluded on everything and in March 2018, it was time to unveil the new generation of youths we wanted to see in our community.
GLOW for Growing Light Of The World; formed by young people who want to bring about change in their community, Country and World. A growing light that will blossom and light many lives,people, continents and the World.
Our first birthday celebration came up and it was mine of all people. I guess i had to lead by example and i was so excited because it was our first outreach as a group and community. Our event planners picked up an orphanage called MISSPA that was down at the time and going through some hard times. A perfect choice i must say because they really needed help and support. So we all as agreed contributed immensely towards our outreach; none was requested to donate a specific amount but we all donated from our hearts and to make it the charity it is supposed to be. All the donations were used to get some basic items for the kids.
It was the best birthday of my entire life because the people i was sharing it with made it a perfect one. It was so beautiful seeing these kids laugh so much and the happiness in them just took me places. Coincidentally, i shared thesame birth date with one of the kids and so it became a double BD.
It was her birthday and as usual she was not expecting any celebration.. she told us but we just made it the best for her. Hearing her voice out this was so touching and i just thought to myself, the feeling is mutual.
It was a wonderful experience and one i will live to forever remember. Their laughs, smiles and happiness was a motivation for me that day and seeing how they appreciated us not only bringing them gifts but for spending time with them made me believe that i don't need to be rich or too successful to help others or do the things that i want to do. I can do those things now with the little that i have.
So that's what GLOW community is all about and what we are doing to make our World better. We started in March 2018 and i am astonished at what we have done so far. Plus our little idea has passed the birthday celebration stage as we go out now massively once every month to do what we do best, helping those who need our help. We continue to experience growth and i am happy when i look at the lives we've been able to touch so far in one way or the other through our outreach programs.
Actually, our outreach activity is the greatest thing i longingly wait for every month because the truth is they are one of the happiest moments of my life.
This month will be no different as it comes up soon this weekend. We have picked our target already and all hands are on deck trying to make sure it is a success for sure. We are equally out to call on sponsors and people who share our idea and are passionate about helping others, charity and making the world a better place to support our initiative so that we can reach out to more people who really need help. The little you give might just go a long way to meet a need in the life of another.
And don't be like me who used to look down on the little things i did and thought that i could truly help others only when i am rich and successful but rather appreciate the little that you do because it seems little to you but is worth much in the life of another.
So be a part of this initiative, take the passion to your own community and start using the little you have to impact others. Now is the time to stop dreaming and rather live the dream. My best quote and inspiration says
Be the change that you want to see in the world
~Mohandas Gandhi
We can all be changemakers and decide to change things around us to suit us.
This is what GLOW Community is all about, lighting up the World, showing love and most importantly being there to help where there is need.