A creative writer joins Hive - my introduction

My wonderful friends of HIVE Community, I am so delighted to belong to this family.

I am MaryAnn Ngozi Nwankwo. I hail from Ugwuaku in Okigwe Local Government.
The first daughter and child of a family of five ( 3 sons and 2 daughters). I senior my immediate junior with six years and others with more than ten years.
I finished my first degree with so much challenges financially, because daddy ( now late) lost his job as I was about to finish my senior secondary school. My mummy took over the up keep of the family as a seamstress. Business she started immediately my father lost his job.

Thereafter, I got a job at Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc - Aba branch that added value to me financially. Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc is the subsidiary and mortgage arm of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc.
This assisted me and my family very much financially. My junior ones were able to attend both secondary and university education without much stress, GOD helping us.

It was at the course of the job that I realized that one is always alone and only survives through the Grace of GOD.
I was never found wanting as far as the job is concerned. One wonderful day we nearly slept in the office, but for the fact that diesel and fuel finished in both the micano generator and the small generator; and the electric power suppliers didn't give light to us, we left office exactly 12.03 am. Thank GOD for phone torch light. Walking home that early morning from the junction that the company driver dropped me was quite frightening. Everywhere was as quiet as the grave yard.

Another on the job experience is that of human differences. Colleagues trying to boss others around as regards superiority. It wasn't easy for me when I started newly, but as the day turns to weeks, weeks to months, months to years, it became fun. I will look at it and laugh.
There are some other senior colleagues that are humane. They appreciate you, they lend you their shoulders to cry on. They are real mothers. They support you financially when there is need.

Pay day - 23rd of each month is our Managing Directors' birthday. Everyone will be so happy and smiling. Just wait for a week to pass after the salary was paid, come and see some people's faces like they have not had anything to eat for a long time.
One funny thing I noticed about salary is that the joy it gives is short lived for those that had hand full of life issues. But for me, I really appreciates it since I use mine to pay school fees, give out of pocket allowance, pay house rent, attend to some family and friends issues. I didn't form the habit of savings because I had so many responsibilities financially and I also went back to school for my Post Graduate degree and Master's degree at Michael Okpara University Umudike Umuahia.

I worked at Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc - Aba branch without any transfer for 10 years.
The policy of Central Bank of Nigeria for all financial institutions that have subsidiaries to become a HOLDING that affected my job adversely.
Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc started downsizing their staffers from 2011 to 2014. I was laid off on January 10, 2014. I never envisaged that they would still downsize again because we were just remaining 4 staff including the branch manager.
By that time, we have almost stopped full banking system because most of our customers stopped banking with us. We were paying more of the fixed deposit customers and making recoveries from the mortgage customers.

It wasn't easy as at that time for me. I have gone back to square one. Jumping from one interview to another, with out success. Majority of them were looking for marketers. After series of interviews without success, I started losing my self confidence and I began to be afraid of my life.

I opened a cement shop, along Umuichichi road at Abayi Aba. The cement business wasn't striving as much as I expected. Sometimes, the cement will start caking before customers will patronize me. My business capital was going down because I have to put food on the table and no serious patronage.

I got another interview at Abuja. On getting there, I wasn't successful either and my brother asked me to stay back to see if I could get any job outside banking related jobs.
To my greatest surprise nothing came out of it. I spent close to 5 years in Abuja without achieving much though I was selling clothes and Ankara materials to make some pocket money for myself.

After 2 years of toiling, I decided to try some private schools since I majored in Education. One accepted and offered to pay me 30,000. I agreed just to keep my brain busy and stop lamenting. I was given a kindergarten class filled with 15 children aged between 2 and 3 years old that hadn't entered school before with no class assistant. Some of the kids will be crying as you are teaching, while some will be playing or sleeping. Some will like you to back them. This I did from 7.15am to 3.30pm daily when they will go home. On the 22nd day of that month the proprietress came straight to my class and asked why I flogged a boy of 3 years with a broom stick adding that she will call police for me and asked me to apologize to mother of the child on the phone. For a job of 30,000, with all my certificates and Masters degree?
I looked at myself, I wept all through the day secretly and took a decision to stop that day. I didn't receive my salary because the proprietress claimed that the month has not ended. I continued with my clothes trading.

In 2018, I became severely sick with pains at the right hand side of my stomach, the doctor referred to it as solubles in the gallbladder. I visited National Hospital Abuja and Federal Medical Center Jabi Abuja since I was in Abuja then. I battled with it for 2 years with severe pains. My junior brother took care of the hospital bills and special drugs I was taking then. Nobody remembers that I don't have any source of income, all they were praying for is my recovery. I still take my drugs daily till date which is not easy to always get. I still feel the pains occasionally that can last for like 3 weeks at a stretch, because I have not gone for the surgery which was suggested then by the doctors. My worry is, after removing gall bladder from my body would I still be alive? Hmmmmmmm.

I left Abuja for Aba immediately I can seat comfortably well for like 2 hours on a far distance journey. I continued recouperating as the day goes by. After, 3 months of my return, I started picking Okirika clothes for sale. It still wasn't moving. Any set I buy will be there unsold for the next 2 to 3 months. After 6 months, I decided to go into POS business. No capital to start it. Fortunately, I sold my car to start it.

It started flourishing. I was managing the proceeds and joined some network marketing company, marketing their products like Nature's Renaissance International Ltd products. I also added selling of hand peeled Melon (Egusi). Slow and steady, they were moving. I thank Almighty GOD.
In June 2023, a friend told me of a school that is looking for an administrator. I jumped at the opportunity and decided to go for it. The pay was just 35,000 since the school was just a year old. Few teachers and few students at World bank, Abayi Aba. I trek quite a long distance from the junction that Keke stops to the school. After 3 weeks of my going to school, maybe because of the long trekking, I started having serious abdominal pains and fell sick. I was still not paid. I stopped.

This year, I have undergone training on how to trade textile materials in bail. Praying to GOD for capital and space to start and do well from January, 2025.

In as much as I don't have much, I still assist people a lot when they are in difficult situations because, my siblings are helping me too. I am not into sports or exercising because of my health. I am an emotional person and on the quite side.

On wednesday the 18th day of December, 2024; a sister and friend by name IJEOMA walked into our shop after a long time glittering and full of smiles. I jokingly teased her telling her how beautiful she now looks. After we chit chatted for a while, she now showed me what she went to buy from a shop with another source of income, and that she was given a discount and that she will be paid in due time for the purchase. We took some pictures and she said she will introduce me to the programme / project, by thursday. She closed late that day, we adjourned our movement to the HIVE office friday.

On Friday the 20th day of December, 2024. In the company of IJEOMA my friend, Ifeanyi a brother visited the HIVE office in Aba. We meet Uncle Samuel who welcomed us with open hands, introduced about the world of HIVE and her other programs and projects.

I have even gone to GOD's own supermarket. I saw so many products I needed. I picked few and took some pictures there too The attedants were wonderful people, they were helpful.

I strongly believe that I am highly welcomed as a member of this strong family. I appreciate everyone for accepting me. I love you all.