May: Power of a Call

This meeting held on the 2nd Friday of the month.  The meeting started by 2:00pm with opening prayer. Praise and worship was taken by Chukwu Peace. It was basically to kick start the mentoring program; hence there was a call-in session by the Project chair, Mrs. Bimbo Adegbite.

Bimbo asked a question, who is a mentor?

Olowogaba Tobi, one of the girls answered that a mentor is someone you care about you or you look unto for guidance to achieve your goal. Bimbo said when you are in a mentoring class; you have to express yourself very well to your mentor i.e. feel free to say anything bothering you to your mentor. She also talked about the benefit of the mentoring program. She said that the mentors are going to develop the girls in their skills, talent, vocations etc. she added that the mentors are there to encourage them as well as care for them.  She assured the girls of her support and readiness to help.

She talked about the phone and this is a moment the girls were waiting for. She said the phone which will be given out to the girls will be used talk to their mentors and not to be misused or abused. She told the girls to be careful on whom they give their numbers to. She told them that the phone can be used to call their parents, siblings and relatives. She advised the girls to always charge their phone and they should be ready any day for their mentor. 

When asked if the girls have anything to say, Chijioke Blessing answered that charging the phone will be difficult because of power failure. She suggested that they should be given power bank to store energy.

Going further, Aunty Aramide Oikelome also asked the questions- Who is a mentor?

Ezeigbo chiamaka answered that a mentor is a person who guides you through challenges in order to achieve a goal. She then asked what their challenges are, Egeonu Sarah answered that as a teenager we have friends who either influence us positively or negatively, and so we need a mentor to help and guide us to achieve our goal. Uche Calister added to what Sarah had said in terms of education, that if we have a challenge in our academic, a mentor can guide us on the course we are to choose, the career to go for, our difficulties in school and how to get solutions to them.

Aunty Bimbo was excited and encouraged the girls to try their best. She said the mentors are available for them in terms of development, skills, talent etc. In conclusion, she encouraged them to go to school and believe in themselves. She also appreciated the parents for giving her the opportunity and privilege to share with the girls.

Aunty Aramide told the girls that the mentorship programme would last for one year. She cautioned the girls not to ask the mentors about our financial needs. She said their interest should be in what we want to achieve. She told them the main reason why they have mentors is to be guided to become stars in all areas of life (spiritually, academically and physically).

She advised the girls and told them about the story of a rich Navy Chief whose only daughter, an undergraduate met some boys on facebook and the boys deceived her to come to Lagos. She came to Lagos and these boys took her to an hotel where she was raped and killed by these boys.

The phones were shared and the girls took pictures. The girls were happy to be part of the Mentorship Programme.