 |
| L-R: Mrs. Juliana Godwin with her son, Sam Godwin, in front of Junior Secondary School, Gosa, Abuja signboard |
Mrs. Juliana Godwin,
42, mother of four lovely children, an indigene of Riyom in Riyom Local
Government Area of Plateau State. has become one of those persons with strong
will to change her condition.
Juliana who had
her education stalled by lack of sponsorship, a situation that made her to drop out, in 1983, of LEA Primary School, Riyom, have decided to go back at age
42 as Junior Secondary School I (JSSI) student of Junior Secondary School,
Gosa, Abuja!
“I had to leave
for Jos in 1983, since my father could no longer sponsor my education to
secondary school because he had no money. While I was with my cousin, I
enrolled in a tailoring shop to learn dress making. I completed it within
a year and six months”, she told Sunday Vanguard.
In 2001, she and
her children left Jos to join her husband in Abuja, where they live at Gosa
village, along Airport Road.
An industrious
woman, Godwin became the bread-winner of her family. Since had skill in hair
plaiting, that became a source of livelihood for her and the family. Later she ventured into hawking
of water in a basin in Gosa market to boost the family’s income.
“In 2003, I was
able to save some money from water hawking. I started pepper and tomato
business with N1,000 from the savings. I also went into corn roasting business,
but my husband stopped
me from the business in 2007,” she said.
In 2008, Godwin
decided to go into vocational training with a non-governmental organisation
called Refocusing Nigerian Talents Organisation, RENITO, where she was trained
in soap (liquid, medicated and bar), and pomade and disinfectants production.
“Now I can
produce and sell the products I was trained on, and I started with N1,500”, Mrs. Godwin narrated.
“I came to
realise that the business was lucrative and helpful to me and my family. I
decided to make savings towards going back to school after I dropped out in
1983.
“My husband was against my decision and quarrelled
seriously with me. But I didn’t give up on my decision. In 2013, I went on to
enrol at Junior Secondary School, Gosa, Airport Road, Abuja, where I started in
JSS I F. I was able to raise N10, 000 to pay for admission expenses.
“Why I decided to
start from JSSI was because I had never in my life stepped into the four walls
of a secondary school. I told myself I will start from JSS I, as it will help
me to have the foundation of secondary school education and to understand what
I would be taught.
“My principal was
surprised and asked me whether I could cope with secondary school education as
an adult and a married woman. He and the staff also encouraged me to continue
since I had made up my mind. But my husband continued making trouble to stop me”.
“I am the oldest person in the class of 80
students. I participate in every school activity, and I am happy with that.
Even when I come late to school, the teachers do punish me just like other
students, and I have no problem with that, but I do behave myself as an adult.”
“I have seen great changes in my life, and I
am coping seriously. My aim is to study marketing in the university after I
would have completed my senior secondary education”, she added.
Vanguard
Vanguard
NB: This woman needs to be encouraged by way of sponsorship.
No comments:
Post a Comment