22/08/2018
The Joy Of Mentoring. I A Product Of Mentoring And I Poured Out Of What I Received.: A 4 Year Journey
Just this Saturday a group of young people I mentored in the University of Professional Studies for the past 4 years graduated. Notable among them was Esi. Esi graduated with a first class and was overall best student for faculty of Marketing and Management at University of Professional Studies. Two others took UBA and Cal aptitude test and topped the test. Meli has been working with the Goethe Institute and taking advantage of travel abroad programs to study in Germany in between her course. Some started their own busineeses while still in school and some ended up getting straight grade A in 7 subjects sat in a semester. Patience took the sessions on volunteering seriously and ended up getting a great job opportunity just because she offered to asist sort out some documents at an office where she only went to do some enquiries. A lot of them took on leadership roles and excelled and employers found them better and well equiped to add real value to their teams. Over the last 4 years I would feel frustrated about how some of them were not doing well academically and how they are not taking advantage of opportunities and not creating their own future through strategic relationships but after 4 years of painful mentoring and commitment. The testimonies are amazing and I am grateful I allowed myself to be used by God in this way.
10 years ago while I was still in the university I started an NGO called Students Initiative Ghana. I also published a personal development book called the 'The Tertiary Years' to document my experience in the university and help other young people navigate their way around that stage of life and develop the right character, personality, values, skills and relationships relevant to excel in the real world. I made a commitment to mentor other young people cos I myself am a product of mentoring. Losing my parents was tough on me but I benefited from mentoring from key people including Rev Whitcomb and Dr. Atsu Kwawu, Sonya Sadhwani. I realised that when we influence people it is based on how we had been influenced growing up.
I made a commitment to invest in over 100 young people in the universities and I have mentored one group from University of Professional Studies for a 4 year period. I would meet with them on monthly basis, make them take aptitude tests, expose them to voluntering, gdt them internship placements of which Melcom Head Office has partnered with me to help these young people. I developed a brain training and memory enhancement program that helped imprive upon their academics while they developed their social skills and built relationships relevant for the real world. I would run workshops and seminars for them and bring mentors from all over the globe. This included bringing down a UN Diplomat from the New York Head Office for a session with them, bringing the Brands Manager of Melcom Mrs Sonya Sadhwani for a session with women. We also did a reading program with kids in a rural Accra community and team bonding activities. We even had sessions in depression and su***de and brought in a Psychologist. I will request for their transcripts. Sit down with each of them and discuss their grades and understand why they are making the grades they are making. The influence and guidance has been inmense for them and it is because I made time for them. Make time to mentor someone today. Thanks to all the other mentors and people who supported this project and made this happen for these young people It is fulfilling.
Obafemi BanigbeNana Akosua AfriyieElizabeth YeliPadikie Patience DauteyPastor Richard C. WhitcombAtsu Godwin S-KwawuSonya SadhwaniOphelia Enyonam AgbomanyiAaron SamIgnatius EgbefomeLydia AnokyeMeli E. P MansuFritz Osei BoadiAkpene Adwoa Dzani LucilleSadika Malaika Rosie Garnie
