Mandela Washington Fellowship Application - Adepeju Challenges You.

You can turn problems into opportunities,did you know that?Well that is what Apepeju Jaiyeoba did!.

She says

''We all visit Stella's blog for so many reasons. For me, personally, one of the inspiring posts I have become attached to on Stella's blog is her 'read and be encouraged' post. It reinvigorate my mind, helps me to keep hope alive and maintain the determination to continue in my aspiration to be a better person for myself, my community and my country at large. 

The loads of inspiration I have received from Stella's blog is my main reason for writing and sharing this post. To inspire other young Nigerians like myself, drive them to action and let them know that Lupita was right when she said 'no matter where you come from, your dreams are valid'. The only caveat to this is that you need to first have a dream, then, you have to wake up and work hard to turn your dreams into reality.

I recently took part in the President Barack Obama's Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. I had an amazing experience on the Business and Entrepreneurship track at the University of Texas before attending the presidential summit where President Barack Obama personally praised my work after which I went on to work at the United Nations Foundation. Looking back at my life in the last few years, I have put together a few lessons I hope other young leaders will find helpful as they continue to work to leave their footprints on the sands of time.

1. Never let your degree cage you or restrict you. Steve Jobs was right when he said we should follow our passion and our heart because somehow, they already know what we want to become. I trained as a lawyer, finished with a 2-1 at the Obafemi Awolowo University before proceeding to the Nigerian Law school. 

I love law but I didn't allow it cage my passion for maternal and child health and the prevention of the needless and completely avoidable deaths that occur everyday in Nigeria. When you get to that point when you are fed up with an issue, don't wait for others to come turn things around! Get up and act!! When I lost a friend at childbirth, her death put a face behind every maternal and child death I had heard of, brought the issue closer home and made me realise that the statistics aren't just numbers, they are real people. I didn't say I was going to wait for government to put things right. I didn't say I was going to wait for the doctors to continue to strive to end these deaths alone. I founded an organisation which trains traditional birth attendants in rural communities, convert them into community extension workers and referral center agents while also setting up linkages for them. 

And when I found a baby whose umbilical cord had been severed with a rusty blade causing him neonatal tetanus and eventually claiming his life, what did I do? I founded a social venture,www.motherskit.com which provides sterile supplies for women at childbirth. I challenge YOU reading this post to take action NOW and turn problems into opportunities!

2. The internet is much more than the world of likes, retweets and personal beef settling or dissing. It is a world of opportunity and young leaders must be hungry enough and want change so badly that they do not mind spending time researching and educationally enriching or improving themselves online. The YALI Network for instance offers series of free online courses with certificates. Take advantage of this and other free resource online.

3. Dream big, start small, continually innovate- And so when starting out, I didn't make the mistake of thinking that the key thing needed for me to kick off my venture was money. I knew I needed to build relationships, contacts and networks first. I knew that if I could get people to see and key into my vision, they will do their all to ensure it survived. Yes, I had big dreams. Yet, I started small, really small, lighting the candle of my mind in my own little corner of the world. Not caring who saw what I was doing or not. Happily effecting change and making change happen for many families across several rural communities in Nigeria. Never be stagnant, continue to innovate!

4. Don't be afraid of competition- People will steal your idea. People will prefer to compete with you instead of collaborating but two things stands sure- The grace of God upon your life which cannot be stolen and your ability to understand that competition is a key to driving your continuous ability to innovate. 

5. Leap on opportunities and never underestimate yourself - When the application for the 2014 Washington Fellowship opened in December 2013, they had 100,000 application, 50,000 of those applications were completed and 15,000 of those completed applications came from Nigeria. 45 people were eventually selected for the program and I was one of them. 9 people were further selected to stay behind for internship in the United States and again, I was one of them. During the Presidential summit with President Barack Obama my project was the only one from Nigeria praised and endorsed by him.

 Now imagine if I never applied for the fellowship thinking another program will come or maybe the application process was too long and I don't have time or simply that there are too many qualified people in Nigeria and I will never get selected. All those milestones and achievement which has effectively changed my life wouldn't walk in to meet me in my room, on my bed or lounging in front of african magic. The key lesson is 'Never ever think you aren't good enough!' Remind yourself time and time again, you are a work in progress.

6. Never let rejections discourage you. Reading my story here, you may be inclined to think it has been all rosy. NO! It hasn't. I have received countless NOs and rejection but the point is NEVER let it stop you from your goal or change your focus. Surround yourself with positive thinkers, people who aren't afraid to let you know you are off target, on point or need an overhaul! Don't delude yourself that other youths who have 'made it' or gain some tractions will want you to succeed too and will help lift you up. Please wake up to the real world. Be safe and start on a premise that you aren't getting any help from anyone. It serves you in two ways- it represents extra hard work for you and makes any help that comes your way an added benefit.

7. Never be afraid of hard work- in starting up my two organisations, I worked with a bottom up model which saw me focusing on the ultimate consumers of my product and services instead of a top bottom model which will require me to deal with bureaucracy. Its extra hard work for me but nothing beats a personal connection with your consumers. 

8. Whatever you do, never be idle- take an online course, start something, join something, volunteer for something, put a smile on the faces of others, be the change you want to see in the world and someday soon, just like you have been the sunlight to many, the sun's gonna shine on everything you do! 

PS: Application for the 2015 Mandela Washington Fellowship that effectively changed my life opens October 7, 2014. I hope my post has served as sufficient inspiration for someone to apply today. I'm not there yet but I like to know I'm helping others around me and beside me so that we can all be at the top of the pyramid. See you at the top''.

Adepeju Jaiyeoba