Gloria

My name is Gloria and as the youngest in the family for most of my childhood, I felt pampered with special favor and enjoyed playing in neighborhood with my friends in Lagos, Nigeria. I envisioned myself a leader from an early age, I was always the one telling stories to my friends and encouraging them about their future. We faced many challenges regarding our financial standing; my dad was retired, with few opportunities for employment. We loved and appreciated our parents because they cared for us within their means and always made us their highest priority in spite of limited resources. As kids, we repeatedly assured them that with their prayers we would make it in life and help give them the life they both desired. I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior at age 16 while attending a crusade organized by my church. This step of faith was instrumental for me as I already believed my life was meaningless. As a young girl with big dreams, I had no source of hope and no means of achieving them. Turning to Christ was the only chance that I had for a meaningful life. Shortly after accepting Christ, I met someone in one of our special church programs who invited me to a Young Life club activity with other kids in the neighborhood. This move was timely and I believed divine because it shaped my life thereafter. As an individual who grew up in a family with limited available resources, the common challenge has been the management of those sparse resources. As a result, I developed a passion for economics. Obtaining a university degree has been my dream. Following my graduation from Southwestern University Nigeria, my goal is to be a chartered economist and use the knowledge acquired to improve the quality of life and provide leadership and financial guidance for young people in my community. As a recipient of Young Life’s Developing Global Leaders scholarship, I will become the first in my family to graduate from university.