The Interview Series (Epissode 7)

You own the dream, you should also own the decisions - Amber

                       Amber Welligton

   (Founder, Amber Welligton Foundation)

Our guest today is a passionate lady, who has committed her existence in life to helping people. Join me as I welcome Amber Welligton to this week's episode.

Welcome to this week's episode of Chat With temidada, we are happy to have you.

Amber: Yes! Good day to you all, my honorable audience. It's a pleasure been here too.

Please can we meet you?

I am Amber Wellington by appellation. Founder Amber Wellington foundation, a microbiologist, a writer,  a chef, a fashion model, a girl child advocate.

On a lighter note, who is Amber Welligton?

Amber: I am a woman of great standards. A person who sees strength in difficulties, a person who sees change as action not promises to oneself, very hard-working, functional, creative, and a front-liner (one who loves to find solutions to problems).

I love to be an inspiration to people, by doing the needful. I love improvement in self and wants to see others improve as well in their endeavors.

Looking into all we have in your bio, how did all these start?

Amber: It all started from a peak. A peak of dreams and purpose. Having known who I was created to be, then backed up with passion that drives to actions. Growing up, I have always wanted to be successful, I have always wanted to be a solution provider to societal problems.

It all started in my first year in school, where I finally puts all my dreams into actions. Dreams of leading, coaching, teaching, writing and making impact,  from first year in school till date, the journey in fulfilling dreams has not been easy but knowing tthat I am fulfilling purpose has been the happiest thing of all. It was just a bold step taken one step at a time.

What is Amber Wellington foundation all about?

Amber: Amber Wellington foundation is a foundation with distinct arms.

It's a philosophical coinage of the founder/president Amber Wellington to compel and to reach out to mllions of young people; not only to value them but also, to lend credence by  committing  them to their dreams.

The foundation was birthed in the year 2016 but was officially launched in year 2018 through an orphanage outreach.

Our objectives are:

To build strong walls of values and imaginations among young people, to reach out and to connect, to speak and to be heard, to coach, mentor, guide, and inspire young people, to bridge the abyss between the poor and the rich, and to unleash creative self, through powerful programes, conferences, seminars, outreaches and many more.

Amber Wellington foundation is here to stay, and our watchword remains "SERVICE TO HUMANITY".

What were the challenges you encountered while starting out the foundation?

Amber: Hmmm!!! Challenges?

Challenges are always what makes life tough but you know what tough times don't last-but tough people do last.

I have encountered series of challenges ever since the birth of this foundation, but I have always come out of it stronger than I even thought, and that is because I never gave up on the dream.

Having the dream alone was a challenge, I remembered telling it to a friend then in my first year in school, she totally disagreed, she made me believed that the task will be too much on me, she made me felt I was wrong having such dream.

Yes she wasn't wrong anyways, because the truth remains, the task is really not easy, but abiding by her opinion would have been more wrong a choice I would have made.

Families also gave me a hard time. I remember running my first project with my own savings, I faced hell from families, of how stupid I was to go to an orphanage home with my own properties, but I never regretted doing it.

Finance too, has also been a big challenge as well but God always bring me out of the seasons of lack.

In all life endeavors, we will face challenges but our attitudes towards the challenges matters, you know yourself better than anyone, you own the dream, you should also own the decisions.

So what kept you moving despite the challenges?

Amber: The things that kept me going were:

Determination: I was very determined not to prove anyone wrong but to see myself where I have imagined myself to be.

Secondly my Passion: When you have passion to do things, you don't look at your interest rather other people's interest. Passion gives me drives.

Thirdly, I had aims which were my forces, the aim to impact and inspire young people.

Lastly is courage: I always have a verse of the Bible that tells me to be strong and be of good courage. I am always my own motivation, because expecting it from people might kill it.

You own your vision, nobody does. So know your drives to achieving them.

What is the growth level of the foundation now, seeing that it is now 2 years after the launch?

Amber: The foundation is still in its maturity stage, but so far, the foundation has really improved, we have two programs done for the past two years, and we have connected with a fewer foundations, two in Nigeria and a partnership with a fast-food company in Germany as part of our objectives. We hope to grow further and better.

What are the projects you have done so far?

Amber: The foundation has done several projects.

Firstly, The foundation has an online lounge for Ladies specifically, which aim is to  coach ladies on career. Almost 200 ladies from Facebook got involved and the aim was met.

The foundation also carried out a street campaign on *INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY* about the importance of School and Education.

The foundation also did a secondary school project, on children's day, in three different states which lasted for three days with lots of awareness and gifts.

We have also carried out an orphanage outreach with gifts as well.

Recently you put out a call to help young girls with sanitary pad, how is that coming up?

Amber: Yes the foundation is embarking on a new project tagged:  "HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS HYGIENE SENSITIZATION", and this led us to combining donation of sanitary pads to the awareness.

I visited an orphanage school at Jos North L.G.A, Plateau state recently, and the aim was to spend some time with the children only for me to find out that the young girls do not understand what menstruation means even as teenage girls. So I thought it wise to raise an arm of menstrual hygiene awareness to the secondary school girls, backing it up with a token of sanitary pads that could help them for one session.

What should we be expecting from the foundation in the nearest future?

Amber: In a short note, the foundation will be making more and more impacts, and inspiring more lives.

Your advice to young Nigerians?

Amber: My advice is;

First of all, define who you are, try and find your purpose, try not to copy, believe in yourself, build yourself, always try and connect with the right minds, work hard and you will achieve everything and anything your mind is set to do.

But above all, be your own motivation.

Thank you for being on the show, we are grateful for your presence. Keep doing great.

TIP: You are your dream, Live it, do not let it leave you.

You can check out the foundation on instagram @amberwellingtonfoundation