Growing up in a suburb of Owerri, Imo State, I was surrounded by hunger and poverty.

Boys
were joining cults, fighting, and hurting themselves, while girls got pregnant for the boys. But
amidst the chaos, my little family provided me with joy. Although we lacked many basic
amenities, the love within our family, comprised of my single mom, her mother, and my younger
brother, was more than enough to sustain us. Their presence made the suffering much more
bearable, and when I was with them, I could temporarily forget our hardships.

My daily routine revolved around attending the nearby government school and assisting my
grandmother in the store just in front of our one-room apartment where my grandma sold food
products from our farm. While my brother and I waited for our mum who worked long hours as
a teacher in a private school to come home, we helped grandma with sales while she assisted
us with our assignments. Spending most of my young days with my grandmother fostered a
deep fondness for her within me.

Unfortunately, a few years later, things took a turn for the worse when my grandmother's
eyesight began to deteriorate. She struggled to read my assignment book and started bumping
into objects. Witnessing her pain and dependency on me was heart-wrenching. Despite seeking
medical help, her condition only worsened, and I found myself taking on the responsibility of
caring for her. I even missed school to ensure she was okay. Before she passed away, we
discovered she had "Diabetic Maculopathy”. We were only able to make such a discovery when
we had the opportunity to attend a program where some white doctors were invited to our
community and at the point she presented, there was not much they could do. This fueled my
determination to fight against such diseases and pursue a career in Optometry.

Throughout my undergraduate studies, I realized the importance of proficient doctors in

establishing an efficient healthcare system. To address the challenges faced by my peers in
understanding optometry courses, I co-founded the "Optometric Students Academic Forum."
Our goal was to provide tutorials and support to improve students' understanding of clinical
procedures. Our initiative led to a significant reduction in the failure rate among students. We
expanded our efforts to other schools offering optometry, developed a standardized syllabus,
and created a platform for collaboration among students across different institutions.

In addition to creating a common good, I conducted research on the ocular complications of

diabetes in Imo State and organized awareness campaigns in rural communities. These efforts
included providing health talks, conducting screenings, and advocating for the establishment of
eye care facilities. Through persistent follow-up, we successfully set up an eye unit within one of
the communities I visited. I was able to do this by convincing the Traditional Ruler and the
prominent men within that community of the need to have one.

Since graduating, the students academic forum has evolved to include practicing doctors, and
we continue to educate and mentor students through webinars, articles, and outreach programs.
Our impact is evident in the high academic performance of our members and the successful
establishment of eye care facilities in underserved areas. Recently, we celebrated our 10th
year anniversary and before the day, we ran statistics to measure the academic performance
rate of our student group members. It was really impressive to note that we have over 90
percent pass rate and all the best students in all the participating schools are part of the
organization. To mark the program, we also invited an ocular surface disease specialist to take
us on Fitting Contact Lens for Keratoconus Patients. It was indeed a huge success.

The growth of this organization has not only contributed to my personal development but also
provided me with the skills and connections necessary to make me an ambassador for Glasgow
University. I am confident that the knowledge and experience I gain will enable me to make
significant contributions to the optometric community in Nigeria and ultimately benefit society as
a whole.