Every girl child has potentials. But when there is no encouragement and sponsors, there is a big tendency that the potentials may die with her.
The story of a brilliant 10-years-old Adaeze Samson, the daughter of the only female Palm wine tapper would have ended in such direction but for the encounter and intervention of Olutosin Oladosu Adebowale, the founder of Olutosin Turns Trash to Treasure, a Non-Governmental Organisation.
The 10-years-old Adaeze Samson’s story is a true picture of what the girl child is made of. It doesn’t matter whether a girl child is born with golden spoon or plastic spoon, their tenacity to be at the roof top make the difference in their existence.
Olutosin Oladosu Adebowale, the founder of Olutosin Turns Trash to Treasure, an Non Governmental Organisation who has brought positive social change to Ibasa community, a riverside in Oriade Local Government her works with children and women, discovered Adaeze.
kiddiesafricanews.com found Adaeze’s tenacity story interesting and worth celebrating even as the world marks International Day of the Girl Child under the theme, “My voice, our equal future”.
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Her Story according to Poet Olutosin Oladosu Adewale
“How did I get to notice her amongst more than One hundred and twenty-five girls?
She is always the first girl to arrive. Our Saturday With Olu-Tosin, SWOT program starts at 10am, she arrives at 7am.
She will wait for me to dress up, we will eat breakfast together and hand in hand, we will walk together to Nancy hall.
After the program, she will always wait behind until I tell her to go home to her parent. She is very intelligent and never shy away from helping us at the centre.
So when the opportunity to visit her in her house came up, I quickly seized it.
We walked more than one hour to get to her place, it is closer to more than Ibasa. Wow! And she is always punctual. How come?
The journey was tiring, yet this bubbly girl was the first to arrive and the last to leave the centre.
Ahhhhhh we arrived at her house. That journey needs no second or repeats visit, especially during the rainy season.
The house is in the middle of nowhere. They have no neighbours, whether to the left or right or front or back. The only living thing was a massive creek in front of the house that needs a canoe to navigate.
I was taken aback when she told me that it is not as deep as I thought since she usually walk through it without rain boots.
Some people are going through hell on earth.
I could not stop wondering who the hell of a parent would keep their children in this jungle. I had to investigate and discovered that she is the daughter of the only female palm wine tapper in Ibasa.
I took an insightful look at a palm wine tree and imagined myself clawed to the tree. If it were to save my life, I will never opt for that job.
I asked about their Kitchen, she pointed to four canes buried deeply into the creek barely covered by half of a roofing sheet. I couldn’t stop myself from asking her about cooking during the rain, at which she sheepishly responded smilingly, we cook inside our room when it rains and in the night because of the numerous snakes around here.
The only living animals aside from the crocodiles in the creek and the ever screaming toads and frogs is a beautiful golden pussy cat hanging on the two steps-fence in front of the house. The cat is so lovely to behold in the face of such poverty.
After completing the assignment that brought us to that area, I had to call for a meeting with her mother. As expected, it was a long tale of violence. We always identify one another in this race of gender-based violence.
That very day, I decided to intervene.
It will be worthy of note at this juncture that I am the only person who promises an abused woman without thinking of how I will possibly find help or resources to intervene.
I have been there. I know how to live without help.
I know how to weep the silent agonising types.
I know how to place my hands on my head just to say ‘Pele Tosin. It will be well with you’.
I know the path, it is not strange to me, at all.
Not all married women are okay.
I left Adaeze’s house with a heavy heart and resolution to support the mother and daughter. It was a pathetic living.
Don’t forget, I can’t do all. I have no such resources.
So, I screamed.
Alina Badia de Lacour, my friend heard my cry for help.
The rest is history.
According to Olutosin, last week, Adaeze wrote an entrance examination to the best school in Ibasa.
On Monday, Adaeze started schooling in Globak Nursery and Primary school. She was enrolled in Primary 4. An all-expenses-paid as she also travels to school daily in a school bus.
Olutosin gave her mother four goats on Sunday and now there are other animals aside from the golden puppy in that beautiful jungle of a home. She also encouraged her to give goats to other indigent women in the next 24 months. Olutosin also supported Adaeze’s mother with some money to support her palm wine business.
This was how the determination of a 10-year-old girl child change her life and turned her family fortune around.