"I wished to train myself and improve; WAVE offered all these"- Raphael Okonkwo (WAVE Alumnus)

 Alumni impact story- Raphael Okonkwo

Raphael is an interesting young man, vibrant and willing to learn. He stretches himself beyond his abilities and strives to move beyond limitations. Raphael had just completed his secondary school education and he was going through a computer literacy training when he heard about WAVE. Since he aspires to be a television host and a presenter, he searched for employment opportunities in that field, but no one was ready to employ him because he did not have the required academic qualifications. In other words, the major constraint for him was his level of education. Therefore, he resolved to working hard in a similar field in order to save enough to get the necessary degree or qualification for his dream and also “augment family expenses.”

Raphael heard about WAVE through town - storming; an outreach activity where WAVE is evangelized in different neighborhoods. The program attracted Raphael and he proceeded to researching WAVE online. “I had researched about WAVE online and also read through their Instagram handle; WAVE possessed all I needed because not only did I just need a job, I also wished to train myself to improve my conventionality and WAVE offered all of these”. Additionally, Raphael expected that after the training, he would not only have enough savings to execute his educational plan, but that he would have become a better person with a wider scope of knowledge.

Raphael trained at the academy in Yaba and shadowed at Nylah’s catering, Yaba as a kitchen assistant. Even though Raphael has never really had an interest in kitchen matters, he was dutiful during his shadow program and he paid attention to necessary details such as kitchen hygiene and behavioral patterns of outdoor events. The most interesting thing about shadowing at Nylah’s catering for him was that: “I learnt new things and also my colleagues at work; they were really accommodating”. Raphael after his training,  learned to manage his time, manage expectations, solve problems and most importantly, how to communicate effectively. These skills that he learned have, however, paid off as he was recently promoted to the position of the Customer Service Manager, at Smoothies Express Limited, where he currently works. He also believes that these skills are a major part of what he needs to get his dream job. Additionally, he enjoys the fact that he can express himself effectively, socialize and speak to people with whom he has no physical contact with.

Lastly, Raphael expresses his appreciation to the WAVE team and the CEO, Misan Rewane. Also, he hopes to be admitted into the university next year to pursue his dreams. He advises job seekers that: “Life is not a bed of roses. Do not expect to get a job the minute you apply. Keep trying and your hard work will surely pay off”.