WE CAN ALWAYS GROW TOGETHER BY BEING OUR BROTHER'S KEEPER - OLOMIDE FATIHA

Olomide Fatiha is a 16 year old girl. She just finished her Senior Secondary Certificate Examination from The International School, University of Ibadan. She's the convener of Our Future is Now project. In this interview with Wole Adedoyin she talks about her passion for building and sharpening professional, moral and leadership skills in teenagers.


WA: YOU ARE THE FOUNDER OUR FUTURE IS NOW INITIATIVE, WHAT ACTUALLY LED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INITIATIVE?

OF: It has always been a thing of concern to me seeing children roaming the streets when they should be in school. Why would some of us be driven to school while other children our age are hawking and roaming the streets aimlessly. Such would become a huge threat to us in the future. We can always grow together by being our brother's keeper. This is the spirit in me that I felt needed to be expressed through this project. The main focus of the initiative is to see children of school age off the streets and back to school. Other areas of our pursuit include building and sharpening professional, moral and leadership skills in teenagers.

WA: WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR INITIATIVE?

OF: It is yet to come. This would be when the number of out of school children reduces to the bearest minimum. I've made some attempts in the past like leading a walk involving about 500 students against the out of school syndrome in Ibadan, taking the campaign to the doorstep of my state Governor and various media houses. I plan to build a team of like minds to build a great future for our mates on the streets.

WA: TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CAMPAIGN AND ADVOCACY

OF: I just finished my Senior Secondary Certificate Examination from The International School, University of Ibadan. I desire to be a successful legal practitioner championing the course of the less privileged and the down trodden. I started the campaign 2 years ago. I want to make it an African project because what affects us in Nigeria also affects them in other African countries.

WA: IN WHAT WAY IS YOUR ORGANIZATION CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWTH OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION AND READING CULTURE IN NIGERIA

OF: The fact that I'm creating awareness to children, parents and the government to see children of school age off the streets and back to school is my way of contributing to the development of the society. No one goes to school without reading so my effort is taking care of all of the interests raises in the question.

WA: WHAT CHALLENGES ARE YOU FACING IN YOUR FIELD OF WORK

OF: I don't want to tolerate any challenge. This is a project I so much believe in, every child on the streets must go back to school.

WA: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE AN EXPERT IN LEADERSHIP EDUCATION

OF: It takes courage, determination, patience and a lot of sacrifice

WA: AS THE FOUNDER OF OUR FUTURE IS NOW INITIATIVE, WHAT KINDS OF CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE?

OF: The existence of these children on the streets is the only thing I consider a challenge and that's why I remain determined to be part of the drive to see them off the streets and back to school.

WA: HOW AND IN WHICH AREAS DO YOU THINK OUR FUTURE IS NOW INITIATIVE AND THE IBADAN BOOK CLUB CAN COLLABORATE

OF: I plan to lead a campaign for the formation and upliftment of reading clubs in secondary schools and Ibadan book club would be a great collaborator in this project.

WA: WHAT ARE THE THEMATIC AREAS OF THE OUR FUTURE IS NOW INITIATIVE

OF: Seeing children off the streets and back to school, building and sharpening professional, moral and leadership skills in teenagers and also improving the reading culture.

WA: WHATDRIVES YOU AS THE TEAM LEAD AND VISIONER OF OUR FUTURE IS NOW INITIATIVE

OF: The desire to be a champion of positive change in the society through education.

WA: WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT SINCE THE INCEPTION OF YOUR ORGANIZATION

OF: This is yet to come but I'm happy to see it making impact day in, day out.

WA: WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU GIVE TO TEENAGERS LIKE YOURSELF

OF: They need to come out of their shells and appreciate the fact that their future starts now. They should make efforts to impact positively on their generation.

WA: WHAT ARE THE KEY LESSONS YOU HAVE LEARNED SINCE THE INCEPTION OF YOUR INITIATIVE?

OF: Ordinary efforts would produce ordinary results, great efforts would produce great results.

WA: WHAT IN YOUR LIFE HAS BROUGHT OR GIVEN YOU THE GREATEST SATISFACTION OR FULFILLMENT?

OF: Being able to make a positive impact on my generation.

WA: LOOKING BACK, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY? WHAT WOULD YOU DO AGAIN?

OF: What I'll have done differently is to have started this project earlier. What I'll do again is to pursue this project with more vigour.