What was intended as one person’s journey through a Rotary organised course turned out to be a chapter in a much much larger journey. Deborah is a year 12 student at Naenae College. She was sponsored by our club to take part in the Innovation Challenge for Young Women. There were eighty participants, including three from Naenae College and Deborah described this residential course.
The first day was spent with introductions, talks by sponsors and alumnae from previous courses and team building. Day two was spent with Otago University at Wellington Hospital. They practiced CPR, learned about the uses of radiation and learned how to stitch a human body back together after an operation. Day three saw them visiting a wind tunnel, a civil contracting firm and experience ice skating a Brewtown in Upper Hutt. Day four was spent with the Ferrier Research Institute at Victoria University and day five at Weta FX and Parliament. It was a most enjoyable and stimulating course. Deborah learned a great deal from the content, and also learned more about relating to older people and networking and made many good friends. Most of all she felt it had encouraged her to continue her education and develop her sporting side with an ultimate aim of becoming a neurosurgeon. She gracefully expressed her appreciation and thanks to her Principal, her teachers, and our club.
Deborah’s parents were then invited to explain their background: how they came to be in New Zealand. Their experience made us aware of just how fortunate most of us have been in our lives. They had lived in Western Nigeria but conditions were unsettled and they wanted a better future for their family. They moved to South Africa which was more peaceful and provided better educational opportunities. Kenny had a job and Ola was able to gain qualifications at a South African university. Life seemed good but sadly it all changed with the death of Nelson Mandela. His successors in government were inefficient and corrupt and xenophobic: if you were not South African born you were no longer welcome. Then Kenny had an accident and could not work for a while, and Ola although qualified, was no longer allowed to teach in South Africa.
They did not want to go back to Nigeria, for the same reasons they had originally left. They applied for entry to various countries including Canada but meanwhile two members of their extended family had come to New Zealand and encouraged them to come over. They applied and were eventually allowed to enter and register. In 2023 Ola was able to get a job in education and Kenny now works for NZ Post while Deborah's sister works in the Bob Scott Retirement Village. Ola and Kenny believe you have to “use what you have to create your opportunity” and relish the feeling that unlike Nigeria and South Africa they feel safe and welcome here.
Thank you Deborah and Ola and Kenny, it has been a privilege to hear your stories.