Sarah Nnamaka, 27, Nigerian
Founder & Director, No To Violence Campaign, Coretalkwithami
Nnamaka Sarah Amaka
Sarah was born in Delta state Nigeria and growing up in a family of 9 wasn't that rosy like many families, there were constant needs, fees to be paid, emergency health care that needed to be attended to.
Sarah and her siblings had to assist their mother in her retail business where she sold various items ranging from food items to used clothes and undergarments; all of which they would have to sometimes carry on their heads within the market place to make more sales.
During those times, Sarah was exposed to teenagers who got involved in crimes, lost their lives owing to abortion and joined notorious groups. She watched innocent young and aspiring boys and girls transform into scary, dreadful and dangerous teenagers. The excuse was their ‘exposure’.
Once, she met a teenager who was really close to her while growing up. She gained knowledge of all the dreadful things he had engaged in. She watched how certain poor decisions had ruined his bright future.
From that day, she decided she was going to be different. She was determined to grow up to become someone a teen could emulate.
Putting in the hard work, consist learning and discipline, Sarah grew up from an environment that barely supported an average child especially the female child with bright mind and vision. She dared to be a different one; however, she noticed that there was more to it... 'Winning is never complete unless you help others win'.
That inspired her to design the Not-To-Violence campaign project with the aim of impacting in the future of teenagers. In 2017, the No-To-Violence (NTV) campaign project; a platform that’s brings goal driven individuals together, who are at the forefront of making sure that young people are equipped with the necessary tools to wage off any form of negative influences in their lives that might instigate violence and bad (moral) conduct kicked off. The project started with over 25 volunteers and 15 principal team members impacting over 1100 high school students.
Sarah and her team has organized interschool sensitization project, create awareness on the dangers of embracing teen violence, empower teenagers with skills necessary to support their education, supply back-to-school material and mentoring of high school students.
She believes that if teenagers and youths are equipped with the right tools, they will shape a better tomorrow and make a difference in their world while we will experience a better today.
Sarah holds a bachelor of Agricultural Technology from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria and a master's degree in Environmental Engineering from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland.
"Violence is a tool for the weak”
Sarah plans to push this campaign to every nook and cranny of Benin City, Nigeria and the African Continent.
She is a true African Achiever.
