Sometimes we may not know why but the results give all the answers. My name is Britney, a member of the Hope for Youth organisation family. I studied in so many schools until one day my grandmother decided that I should join my uncles who were already at Hope for Youth Primary school. It was a bit challenging because of the distance we used to walk. I was by then (2013) in primary four. The teachers were so loving and so were the students. So, I started my education journey at this school, but little did I know that this school will be the profound turning point of my life. While studying, there are some programs I was watching that were taking place, i.e. “You Matter” girls’ only group, Development School for Youth, All Stars and Sports. I was so curious about some of these programs most especially “You Matter” girls’ group and Development School for Youth because the people who would join in these were supposed to have finished at least Primary seven, it somehow encouraged me to study hard to join them.

Later, I completed primary seven in 2016, I finally joined these groups. It was another kind of world, a world of learning different skills, expressing your emotions, bringing out ideas that you have and learning from each other.

While in the process of learning and engaging in these programs, Uncle Peter, the director of the school and the organisation found some people who would sponsor me for further studies. This was an exciting news to my mother and grandmother who were struggling to take me back to school. These people have been sponsoring me ever since 2017.

Going back to the programs, I started being promoted as a leader in different positions, this gave me a platform to exercise my leadership skill and shaping me as well in the way to go, humbling me into handling responsibilities and thinking as a person of influence and example to others.

Am now being sponsored at an institute studying nursing and at the same time whenever my mother finds difficulties in supporting me in one or the other, I run to the organisation. I am also a leader at the Hope for Youth organisation, I can express my emotions, ideas and I have learnt other skills too. All the achievements that I have gained and hope to achieve have been a result of the Hope for Youth organisation.

I still have a long way to go both in my education and in life, but I believe the foundation has been built with love and continuous hope, togetherness and teamwork because “We can only do small things with greater love.”

Thank you!