“God has used the NGO to put an unending laughter in my face”

My name is Okolie Chinaza Favour, I hail from Enugu State in Nigeria. I came from a broken home. My parents never lived together in harmony. We are just two, my elder sister and I. After giving birth to my sister, my parents broke up as a result of unbearable beating my mother received from my father every night because my dad was always under the influence of alcohol.

Consequently, my mother went insane, she was left to wander in the bush and in the streets. She was pregnant, gave birth to a baby but lost the baby in the trauma. When she was 19 years old she became a bit normal, and went back to my father.  She gave birth to me a few months she reunited with my father. Few months after I was delivered she could not cope with hardship and beating from my father, my mother moved to her elder sister’s house. After going insane, my mother has never been her real self.

I was nursed by my mother’s sister together with her six children. She took care of us. My sister was living in our cousin’s house, and had no opportunity to go to school. My father died ten years ago.

When I was seven years old, my sister got married I went to live with her. I became a babysitter whenever she gave birth, I would not go to school for the period of nursing the baby. It continued I finished my primary school with wasted years of babysitting. I went back to Enugu and stayed at my cousin’s place and I had my junior secondary school there.

Things were not buoyant for my cousin and he could not finance my education again, I had to move back to my sister’s place who arranged with one of her church members who was in need of someone to look after his children while at work. So I was taking care of the children, and the family in return sent me to school. I had my senior secondary school class 1 with them, and because of some issues I left the place.

I was 17 years old then and decided to get a job to finance my education. During that time, I came across a poster looking for people interested in acting. Because I have passion for writing and acting, I called the contact person who later took me to one of RCG Foundation’s programs organized for teenagers and youth – Talent Club.

I was able to meet the coordinator of the program who encouraged me not to drop out of school. She prayed with me and urged me to put my trust in God. A week later she called me to tell me that one of the trustees has volunteered to give me free education at his school. I joined the school for my S.S. 2 and S.S. 3. The Foundation provided accommodation for me and paid for my external examinations.

God has used the NGO to put an unending laughter in my face, the result of my university entrance examination (JAMB) is out and to the glory of God I was one of the best in 2015 JAMB exams. I am presently writing my WAEC examination, and I know God will also see me through it.