Ayere's Story: From Fuel Attendant to First Class Graduate

From Fuel Attendant to First Class Graduate: How Access to Success Helped me Rise

by Ayere Elisha

In 2014, I graduated from secondary school with hope burning in my chest. I had just won “Best in Arts” and believed; deep in my heart, that university was the next step. However, hope alone was not enough. I wrote JAMB in 2014, again in 2015 and once more in 2016, each time earning admission offers that I could not accept. My father, already in his sixties and the sole provider for our family, simply could not afford to sponsor two children at once. He chose my elder brother. I understood. Nevertheless, it still hurt.

I spent the next few years at home but was not idle because I learned a skill and was determined to keep growing even when my dreams felt delayed. In 2018, I gave it one more shot, I passed JAMB and POST-UTME and was offered admission into the University of Benin for the fourth time. By God’s grace, my father paid the acceptance fee but then came the challenge of school fee, accommodation and living expenses.

During the ASUU strike later that year, I took a job as a fuel attendant to save money for tuition and essentials. It was in the middle of that hustle that something divine happened. I met my former primary school proprietor, and he connected me to a life-changing opportunity: the Access 2 Success Foundation.

Through A2S, my school fee, accommodation, and books were fully covered. I was given a laptop and backpack, which made it possible to complete assignments and eventually write my final year project. However, more than the material support, A2S gave me something deeper, which was hope, healing, and a new perspective of life. The Soul talk sessions and mentorship platform did not just help me stay in school but helped me stay grounded. They reminded me that I was not alone, and that my story was still being written.

In 2023, I graduated with a First Class Honours in Sociology and Anthropology. Looking back, I know I did not make it alone. God carried me, my family believed in me, and Access 2 Success empowered me. This foundation did not just fund my education but helped me discover my voice, my strength, and my purpose.