You Can!

Flashback to December 6th, 2024, when my CDS group, Drug Free and Quality Control, organized an interschool debate and quiz competition among secondary schools in our service location- Jesse.

Prior to that day, we discussed plans and preparations on how to make the program a successful one during our CDS meetings.

One of the plans included how to raise funds for the estimated budget for the event. The first time I heard the estimated budget was during an online meeting with the executives, which I was part of.

Honestly, hearing the amount estimated for the event was shocking and seemed impossible to raise. "How do we raise such a huge amount within less than two months, with less than seven CDS days? Ahh!" I exclaimed. We barely had three tens of thousands in the CDS account.

When the amount to be raised was made known to everyone in the house, they were shocked as well and felt the same way I was; I'm pretty sure of that. I remembered playfully mentioning "miracle no dey taya Jesus," meaning nothing is impossible for God to do, although deep down, I never saw that possible within that short space of time.

Almost everybody, if not all, shared their two cents. Suggestions on writing to notable people and organizations to seek their support were made, which was done.

During one of the subsequent CDS meetings, schools to be invited were listed out; everybody was told to inform their Primary Place of Assignment (PPA), which is a school for 99% of all the Corp Members, and get back to the executives if their school would be participating.

At first, my Primary Place of Assignment wasn't among the listed schools. Since my PPA is a village school, I initially dismissed the idea of inviting them, thinking the students weren't that academically inclined. However, one Corps Member raised a suggestion that village schools should also be invited.

Following this suggestion, an invitation to the competition was extended to the village schools and it also prompted me to invite my school.

There were meant to be four participants in the competition: two students from the junior category for the quiz, and two students from the senior category for the debate.

Two weeks before the event, we had yet to get any amount; I mean, there was zero Naira in the CDS account. Low-key, people were demotivated. Some openly expressed their doubts saying the program was never going to happen, while some even mocked the entire agenda.

Additionally, two weeks before the competition, my PPA was yet to have students who would represent her, even though the students were already aware of the upcoming event. Let me just say that no one, especially the school authorities and teachers, seemed to care.

"Something good might come out of Lazarus," I thought to myself, and then decided to groom one of the many students for the debate competition. It wasn't easy; the timing for preparation was short, but I did all I could to get him prepared.

Ultimately, to everyone's surprise, the CDS was able to raise a substantial amount of money, making the event a reality. You must be impressed too.

The D-day came, and 3 students apart from the one representing volunteered to follow me and my co-corps member to the event. Upon arriving at the venue, other schools had complete representatives, whereas my school was represented by only one student.

Surprisingly, two of the students who came along with us approached one of us to express their interest in representing the junior category. Despite being unprepared and receiving no guidance, they took the bold step to represent us. I was honestly impressed by their courage and approach.

The program was a successful one. And guess what? The boy I groomed for the debate competition secured third position. Meanwhile, the junior category finished fourth position out of five schools.

To be honest, I was filled with so much joy and happiness. When the boy was asked which school he was representing and mentioned 'Ugbevwe Secondary School,' it stirred up amazement among the local residents and Corp Members at the event—"A village school? Wow." I felt proud.

As I look back on that day, I'm reminded that with determination, teamwork, and just a little faith, even the impossible can become possible. The experience taught me to never write others or myself off and to always believe that I can achieve great things.

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_{I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to you for taking the time to read this.🌺}

_{All images are mine}

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