Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies (IntlM) IMSISS
- University of GlasgowThe one year plus I have spent post graduation has been life changing. I enlisted in the one year National Youth Service Corp in my country, Nigeria. The first three weeks was a quasi boot camp in a state I had never been to, grouped into platoons with unfamiliar faces I foster good relationships and actively participate in duties assigned to the platoon. Upon leaving boot camp I deployed to my place of primary assignment, a local electricity company, I worked with the customer care unit and project team where my English language literacy was put to test, this opportunity further developed my interpersonal relations with people. My computer literacy skills improved as I was required to create schedule to keep track of activities and complaints, I worked well with Microsoft excel and word and I was involved in projects that provided electricity to rural areas in the vicinity.
Community development service was a part of the service year and I joined the Environmental Protection Sanitation team. The team tackled various environmental security issues such as improper disposal of garbage. I participated actively and monetarily to several clean up duties of the local market providing garbage bags, brooms and bins in the area assigned to the team. I participated in the sensitization of girls on menstrual hygiene and keeping the environment clean. Our target was females from underprivileged backgrounds on a topic not properly discussed in the school setting.
The outreach of the community development service stretched to nursing mothers on hygiene during breast feeding. Some other health hazards in the environment was looked into by the team such as the increasing rate of overflowing drainage, we sensitised the public about immediate responses to such by using sand bags especially in residential areas. In addition my team created a platform "know what is happening around you", we discussed issues like flood prone areas as the rains increased, the tremors that were happening frequently around a particular vicinity, Lassa fever cases at some time in the year rose and we did an outreach on protection and prevention.
I was opportune to visit an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp, I was able to interact with few of them who told their stories of how they lost their homes and loved ones, I discovered their number were rapidly increasing as more people were displaced, food and clothing were insufficient and these increased the crime rate within the camps. Little items of food and clothing we had brought along caused so much joy today and I understood finally that nobody deserved to live that way, and the resolved within me hardened, I want to change my country.
My experiences during my undergraduate years were also very significant. I was privileged to be one of the founding member of the Pugwash club. The pugwash club pioneers a world free of nuclear, biological, chemical and weapons of mass destruction. We organised seminars and movie nights that enlightened participants of the dangers of nations being in possession of these weapons.
During my undergraduate years, I was a photograph for my club and for my platoon during my service year, with a good command of photoediting. My editing skills have improved gained through content filtering, blogging and writing. I currently own an active lifestyle blog with new fresh ideas.
Further more, this programme support my future career as a security/intelligence analyst, this path I have chosen to save the lives of those who do not have the power to do so. As an enthusiastic candidate I believe I am well suited for this programmes because I have an international experience and can adapt easily, great working in a team, sincere passion, a quick learner, possessing both the background and adequate qualification, I am an outstanding candidate as my experience and skills are at par with the nature of the programme. I am strong willed and ready to share my experience, thoughts and give my very best to this programme.
Yours Sincerely,
Alice Emmanuel O.