contributing to the development in your country
Please supply a personal statement of no more than 500 words that summarises the ways in which your personal background has encouraged you to want to make a contribution to development in your country. You should indicate areas in which you have already contributed, such as in overcoming any personal or community barriers to higher education.
Growing up in a poor neighbourhood ruled by poverty with the annexation of daily challenges such as unemployment, unhealthy environments and poor education, I always knew that education was the only way out of the situation. With a great willingness to learn, I gained admission into the University of Lagos for my bachelor's degree study. Studying at the University came with a lot of financial challenges but I was able to get through school through support from parents, community members and grants from religious bodies. I purposed in my heart to be a person that adds value and give back to the community in any way I can.
This has informed my actions and inactions till date. In my third year in the university, I engaged in my first community project to better the lives of people living in my environment. My vision was to go to a slum area close to my University to share food and clothing materials to the people living in this slum area. With the help of friends, class mates and the religious body I belonged to on campus, we were able to raise enough funds for the project. We gave out food and clothing materials to about five hundred families that live in this slum area. I have also contributed to education in Nigeria by volunteering and working with Tosin Jegede Foundation which is a charity based in Lagos Nigeria whose goal is to improve literacy in Nigeria by the provision of educational resources for students in public primary schools across Nigeria. This project has benefitted over 7,000 students in Nigeria.
I developed interest in gender inequality as it relates to recruitment, promotion and working conditions of women during my undergraduate studies. As an undergraduate in the department of psychology I conducted a research that looked at the role of gender on employment opportunities within the public service and the results showed that women has been greatly discriminated against when it comes to recruitment, career advancement, pay and working conditions within the Nigerian public service.
This has motivated me to contribute to the development of Nigeria by removing obstacles and inequalities that women face when it comes to employment and to also be an advocate of equal employment opportunities for both men and women in Nigeria.
I strongly believe that when competent women and men have access to equal employment opportunities and not discriminated against on the bases of gender or any other protected characteristics, Nigeria will experience all round development in every sector of the community.
