How one opportunity helped a nine-year-old discover that he could turn ideas into possibilities.
It was a Tuesday evening in Benin City, Nigeria. As was often the case, there was no electricity in the Iwuzie home.
But nine-year-old Chisom had other plans.
He approached his mother and asked for batteries.
“Chisom came to me and asked for batteries. I wasn’t sure what he needed them for, so I told him there were none,” his mother recalled. “He didn’t go away. He wouldn’t let me rest. He said he needed them for something very important and urgent, so I had to look for some old, used ones for him.”
What could a nine-year-old possibly need old batteries for so urgently?
Chisom had something he wanted to try, inspired by what he had learned at the A2S Transformative Enrichment Camp (TEC).
He hurried into a room with the batteries. A little while later, his mother noticed a flicker of light coming from inside.
Curious, she rushed in.
There was Chisom, holding wires against the batteries, with a bulb connected to them. As he made the connection, the bulb lit up!
It wasn’t a powerful light, but it worked. Chisom had made light!
“I jumped when I saw the light and rushed to feel it for myself. I was so surprised and happy,” his mother recalled.
Before long, neighbors had gathered at the Iwuzie home to witness what the little boy had created.
That evening, Chisom didn’t just light up a bulb. He sparked something much bigger: a belief in what he could do.
More Than a Bright Idea
Chisom is the youngest of four children in the Iwuzie family, living in a community where unreliable electricity is part of everyday life.
He is also a student at the A2S After School Academy and a participant in our Transformative Enrichment Camp, where he was introduced to technology, how everyday gadgets work, and the power of hands-on learning.
At A2S, children don’t just learn concepts. They get to explore, experiment, create, and discover what is possible when knowledge meets opportunity.
Chisom took that experience home.
He saw a problem, remembered what he had learned, and decided to try something for himself. And when it worked, he discovered that he could do more than he had imagined.
Since that first experiment, Chisom has made five more bulbs that his family now uses at home. He has also built a moving car from recycled materials, which moves forward when pulled backward, and helped other children in his neighborhood create things for their school projects.
His mother’s words capture the determination behind these achievements:
“I don’t know what they teach him in A2S, but Chisom is courageous and doesn’t give in to intimidation.”
That courage is becoming something powerful: confidence to explore, the willingness to experiment, and the desire to use what he learns to help others.
Chisom’s mother.
A Spark Today. Endless Possibilities Tomorrow.
Ask Chisom what he wants to become, and he’ll tell you he dreams of being a doctor and a priest.
He is only nine, but he is already learning an important lesson: he doesn’t always have to wait for someone else to solve a problem. He can think, experiment, create, and contribute.
And that is what makes his story so much bigger than a light bulb.
It is a story about what happens when a child is given the opportunity to discover his abilities, put his ideas into action, and experience the joy of creating something useful.
This is the kind of transformation your support makes possible.
Through the A2S After School Academy and programs like the Transformative Enrichment Camp, our dedicated teachers and staff, children are gaining more than knowledge. They are developing the confidence, creativity, and problem-solving skills to shape their own futures and contribute to their communities.
Because you gave, children like Chisom the opportunity to explore, they are discovering what they can create.
Because you supported practical, hands-on learning, they are discovering that knowledge can solve real-life problems.
And because you believe in their potential, they are beginning to believe in it too.
Thank you for helping unlock the potential within every child.
This holiday season, please prayerfully consider the power your gift can have for kids like Chisom to develop learning, agency and innovation through our A2S programs by giving at rebrand.ly/EOYatA2S.
