OCT 2020. Vol 2. Issue 3. |
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Hello October! This month is synonymous with the early days of fall, and many national and global commemorations. For UAW, October means FUNDRAISING. In the last 5 years, every October we have celebrated with a remarkable evening of cheer, music, and glorious food from The Continent. The evening is a fete of the achievements of our scholarship recipients, and an acknowledgment of the wonderful support we get from all our donors and sponsors. This year, we have canceled our event because of the Corona Virus pandemic, but we still need your support to keep the women and children in our school programs. We are asking you to consider donating the cost of your ticket ($100) to support 2 of our major initiatives: - Scholarship programs for disadvantaged women and children in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya.
- A college student support program that will provide personal care supplies and mentoring to financially disadvantaged students domestically.
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Greatness Personified. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the formidable Supreme Court Judge died in her sleep on September 18th, 2020. She was a champion for gender equality, fighting for equal pay and breaking the class ceiling, accomplishing many “firsts” for women. Shana Knizhnik and Irin Carmon in their book Notorious RBG write “RBG is a woman who, to use another phrase that mattered a lot to her, defied stereotypes…RBG was already a radical just by being herself—a woman who beat the odds to make her mark.” UAW hails her as a role model that inspires us to persevere. Women are capable of attaining greatness in spite of the expectations our society expects of us. "Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time." - RBG |
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The Makoko Project Last fall (photo on left), UAW gave 7 children from the Lagos water community, Makoko, scholarships to attend Lady of Apostles School Yaba, Lagos. This was indeed a dream come true as their parents do not have the means to educate them. Last month they headed back to the classroom starting their 2nd year of education. We are pleased to say that they all did exceptionally well in their first year and are all promoted to their 2nd year. The COVID closures did take them out of school just before summer so to make sure that they did not fall behind, UAW organized group tutoring for them over the holidays. Lagos schools are now back in session and the young ones are going back in a hybrid format; some days at in-person and the others online. To support online schooling UAW shall also retain the services of a tutor who has a computer and internet access to guide their at-home learning. They are a little taller (right photo), and a whole lot smarter. Again, you make this all possible. THANK YOU!!! |
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SPOTLIGHT on those who support our cause |
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AINEAKHO OJIOR, is the UAW Board Secretary and also a very active member of the organization. She volunteers her time consistently, wearing many hats, and leading various efforts to ensure that UAW succeeds at its mission Aineakho moved to the US 20 years ago to start a career in Telecommunication straight out of college in the UK, a brave move for a fearless young adult. She found her feet as a consultant in the cellphone industry and later transitioned to the utilities where her skills enable automation. She now leads field operations at The Gas Company. Aineakho is passionate about leadership: "I enjoy nurturing people to bring the best version of themselves to their roles". She also gives her time to advocating for diversity and inclusion at work and never passes an opportunity to mentor, especially to youths in STEM. She lives with her husband and 2 boys in LA. |
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ITZLY ROSALES, Thank you for your consistent dedication, and always going above and beyond. Itzly is a first-generation college student attending the Cal State University of Los Angeles, majoring in Nursing. Itzy has volunteered with Upward African Woman since 2016 and has had the opportunity to experience, first hand, helping people in need. She chose her major to become a Nurse Practitioner because she is able to continue the work and demonstrate the values of Upward African Woman. Itzly says that being able to participate in the actions of what UAW does has given her a bigger purpose in life, which is to always find a way to help others no matter the circumstances. |
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