Happy New Year!
Our first FaithFuel story this year takes a look at the perspective of one of our long-time volunteers, Mrs. Juliet. At A2S, community engagement is so important to everything that we do. When women like Mrs. Juliet volunteer at the After School Academy, it creates a familiar and safe environment for our kids. We’re proud to report that in 2021, 51% of our After School Academy parents volunteered with A2S in some capacity. Imagine coming to a loving center every day after school where your own mother may be the one making you a meal! This is one of the many ways we think about creating a holistic experience for our kids so they have the best chance to grow and learn.
Meet Mrs. Juliet
Meet Mrs. Juliet, an epitome of selfless dedication and love. Mrs. Juliet is a caterer who sells food in a truck six days a week. Since getting involved with the academy, she leaves her job every Wednesday to cook for the children at A2S. Whenever she is on duty, there is never a dull moment. Her child, Osawoname, is an After School Academy kid. Many think Mrs. Juliet has a soft spot for Access to Success because her child attends the academy, but she got involved as a volunteer right at the beginning of A2S back in 2010. Mrs. Juliet had known about A2S since 2009 when the founder, Andrew Lovedale, came to Nigeria with some friends to distribute shoes. Mrs. Juliet later became one of the first cooks to volunteer at the After School Academy!
At that time, Mrs. Juliet was a member of Gospel Life Bible Church, a local church she had attended for years and the current home of A2S After School Academy. When she met the A2S co-founding team, she had not seen anyone sharing love and caring for the under-served the way A2S was doing. It was genuinely enviable! She recounts a story the founder shared of his growing days, how finding the perfect quality shoes for basketball training was an arduous task, and when they were available, they were costly. So, providing shoes for the growing kids at home built the foundation for A2S programs.
When the After School Academy started, she saw it as a perfect opportunity to participate in Access to Success as a cook. She found that being able to cook and be a mother to other children in her community is so fulfilling, and in her own words, she has never regretted the decision to volunteer for A2S.
A2S is an organization that encourages togetherness and community growth. She loves the After School Academy because it strives to develop the children wholesomely and offer scholarships to children who never thought tertiary education was available to them.
“I am grateful to God for the opportunity to serve, and even though it means leaving my day’s job of being a caterer to help the children, I see it as a way of giving back to the community.”
Her favorite food to prepare at the academy is garden egg sauce and yam, a very nutritious meal for the day. It is a vegetable sauce. It starts by boiling the yam, boiling the garden eggs and then pounding it to make the sauce. Mrs. Juliet and the other cooks at the After School Academy prepare this meal once every week.
“I am also grateful to God for all the staff of A2S. They have shown themselves to be diligent and dedicated to all beneficiaries, and I can never forget the lockdown of 2020. A2S provided us with a month’s worth of food and educational materials for our children. I never expected it, and I pray for strength for all A2S staff members both at home and abroad.”
Your FaithFuel Impact
In 2021, our FaithFuel community literally fueled our ability to provide for our students and their families with prayer and $80,000 in monthly gifts. Countless prayers were answered: A mother was able to feed her child because of you. A father provided an education for his child because of you. Every student learned something new because of you. Your commitment to this community shines through for our kids every day.
So, what exactly did your $80,000 in FaithFuel gifts provide?
148 Academy students had the full cost of their school fees and food covered for the entire year.
You, the FaithFuel community, did this. You provided opportunity and education for 148 students. Our kids are so grateful for your generous commitment to A2S’s mission in Nigeria. We appreciate your faith and the love you share through your prayers and regular financial support. Thank you for being part of our family.
Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
-Psalm 119:105
