The range between my how-it-all-started to the how-it-is-going journey as a volunteer with The Orphan Empowerment Society (TOES) is that of tremendous IMPACT and GROWTH.
You might be asking how that is, I guess. I’ll let the cat out of the bag before your curiosity kills it.
How it started
So, before completing my first degree, I underwent a 6-month internship at a hospital in Oshogbo in 2018. The hospital had an orphanage they ran.
During this period, I observed something worth commending, though, at the same time, strange.
The orphanage received food aid (noodles) from individuals and groups. They got these in large quantities such that the caregivers were compelled to sell a portion of it to raise some money to run the home.
The hospital’s best efforts in caring for the children, as I closely observed, seemed not to be enough as the children weren’t looking healthy enough as they should be. I had this inexpressible feeling, about every time I see them.
Fast-forward to November 2018; I stumbled on a flier (online) on two of my friends’ social media handles. It was about TOES (then December2Remember). I followed the link on the flier and carefully observed that the outreach TOES was organising was one of a rare kind.
You might even have a better description than “a rare kind” I just used because it was something beyond ordinary.
In addition to giving regular aids (foods, clothes, and other support materials), TOES would be training orphans and caregivers with entrepreneurial-based skills with which they can use to offer services or sell products and make money on their terms.
That was fascinating and compelling enough, so I decided to sign up as a volunteer.
By December, planning was in full motion for the outreach to be held in Oyo state. The list of orphanages to be visited and volunteers who would be going to each was shared.
To my amazement, I was appointed by the coordinator to lead the team to visit Kersey Home in Ogbomosho.
It seemed like a daunting task at first. I had never led a team before.
I did lead the team, eventually. However, it was with God’s help and with the help of dedicated teammates who were also committed to the cause TOES is championing. The outreach to the orphanage was successful.
Beyond meeting and making new friends at that singular event, I intentionally started building leadership capability and honing my teamwork skills.
How it is going
Going forward, I became the Welfare Director of Oyo state’s chapter. This appointment further afforded me a platform to impact orphans and volunteers alike and continually build leadership and interpersonal relation skills.
These skills have been of great advantage for me to date.
To cap it all up, I assumed the office of the International Director of HR and Finance for TOES, overseeing key human resource activities for the organisation.
Building impactful relationships in TOES
The relationships I had built with fellow volunteers in TOES were shoulders I could lean on in a rollercoaster year – 2020.
These were there for me like a family through the challenges I encountered. They’ve proved over and over again that I could always count on them.
Through some of the volunteers I’ve met, I have had access to certain opportunities due to the relationship we share.
These were possible and shareable because of the sole decision I made when I signed up as a volunteer with TOES. It’s been a back-to-back impact.
I’m glad to have found a family on a noble cause to end orphan poverty in Africa.
Indeed, it’s been an incredible journey of impact and growth. Cheers to more!
Eunice Tomisin Oladeji
Int’l Director of HR & Finance
If you would also love to share how volunteering with TOES has impacted you and how you’ve been able to make an impact, send us an email at info@toes.today.