Why I do this!

Why I do this!

AGAINST THE ODDS

Issued by Oyisa

A few years ago, my sister mentioned that 4 out of 5 individuals raised in a Children’s Home do not make it far enough in life to contribute to the economy or become functioning members of society that benefit from the country’s independence and freedom. This scared me because I grew up in a home and as I explored what she told me I was even more frightened by my findings. At any given time in the time that I lived at the home we had an average of 15 to 20 girls living in the home and I learned that more than 50% of the girls I lived with are not doing so well in their adult life. Some of them are back in abusive homes, a few are homeless, others are addicts and most of them are still on social welfare and some participating in illegal activities or are dead. About 5 out of 20 girls I live with live average lives and one can even say they are striving and are active members of society. In most instances, the homes provide the basic needs for survival which would be shelter, food/clothing and education and at the age of 18 we are expected to start a life with little or no assistance from the home.

Oyisa was founded to act as a consistent support for local homes to assist the transitioning of teenagers to young adults. It operates as a charitable organization with multiple programs providing services and activities that directly and indirectly promote the wellbeing of young people specifically young women. The main goal is to provide a stable environment where they can benefit from a vast number of far-reaching socioeconomic programs and are given a chance to better themselves without trauma, isolation, and judgment.

When I first started volunteering there was a young lady preparing for her matric dance and I wanted to help so I decided to head her “Glam Squad” and contributed towards her entire outfit. In the weeks leading to the dance, I would pick her up to go for dress fittings and occasionally grab lunch, talk about school, life, and exchange ideas, and plans for the future. It was great seeing her being exposed to a world she is not often privileged to participate in. After she graduated, she registered for Aviation Training and found a job in retail. It has been 5 years since she graduated, and I am still in contact with her and I am always overwhelmed by the great strides she is taking each year. I do not want to say I am the sole reason she is where she is today, but it is great to know that I contributed to how she sees herself and her place as a valuable member of society despite her background and her positive outlook on her future. I strongly believe that the statistics can change drastically if we actively commit to the countless causes aimed at altering institutions, especially on local levels, to provide long-term solutions for these problems. Even one act of kindness can change someone’s life entirely.