It was the 14th of February 2021, I had opened my phone to text a close friend when the best gift came in an email from the Grow With Us (GWU) Fellowship Director and it read “congratulations on being selected as a finalist for the Grow With Us Fellowship Program”. So many emotions came rushing at the same time and I could feel my heart skip beats. I remember being interviewed and was told a decision had to be made to pick just one Nigerian. I remember questioning my competence and abilities and wondering if the Director had made the right choice picking me. For some time now, I have worked so much on myself and I have come to terms with the fact that I belong on every table I am invited to. This thought process was quite uncomfortable at first (still gets uncomfortable sometimes), but I had to remind myself of this when my admission email came in.
Being admitted into the fellowship and meeting other fellows meant many things for me. It again proved the point that the work I do is commendable and requires more visibility, knowledge and support. It solidified my reasons for self-development, leaving my comfort zone and pushing myself past it, it made me see myself through other powerful women/like-minded people, it intensified my belief in sisterhood, to make deliberate efforts and decisions to not quit, to give myself credit for little improvement and be willing to embrace ‘The suck” but being conscious to not stay there for too long.
Growth is uncomfortable, however finding joy and comfort in the reward that comes with growth, is always my driving force and although my work schedule is a major challenge, I am willing to work it out recognizing the fact that GWU has given me a platform to add more value to my work and give back to society. I recognize that GWU is literally enabling and securing my ability to serve my community and I look forward to leveraging every single opportunity I will be given and the knowledge I would acquire from the fellowship.
Eventually, I will use my position as a Grow With Us Fellow to become a prominent social leader making my country and the African continent at large a better place one woman at a time. These dreams will come to be as a result of hard work, however, my fears are neutralized with thoughts about the outcomes of the fellowship and the strong network of Choose Yourself women who back me up.
Once again, I am sincerely grateful for your altruism and will to empower African women and non-binary persons.
Marian Nwaokolo GWU, fellow 2021
