Atem Arabella

Growing up in a community where we could barely afford food and education, with my mum struggling daily in raising us, facing difficulty to afford statutory fees, and didactic materials for our education, I had to spend most of my childhood on farms, working to raise money for feeding and our school needs. I saw girls of my age, street-selling to survive, enduring sexual assault just to afford basic needs such as education. At age 8, selected under Plan International’s sponsorship program, I was given Swiss foster parents who partially sponsored my primary education.

My mum had the opportunity to attend the teacher’s training college. This enabled her to pick up a teaching job with the Baptist while she did petite trade and businesses to back up her finance. Empowering herself, enabled the continuance of our education. Inspired by my background, I saw the need for community development, I saw the need of educating and empowering women and girls to gain access to education.

Just like Nelson Mandela said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can change the world. I have experienced this powerful weapon in the different opportunities I have been offered such as in the Young African Leadership program, The Haggai leadership Program, The Fulbright teaching program and much more. Such educational opportunities shaped my thinking and desire to commit myself in enabling others gain access to Education.