DEF Scholar: Ngozi Cole
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Home country: Freetown, Sierra Leone
Activities: Student body president, student-run business
Ngozi wants to study human rights law with the vision of transforming Sierra Leone.
Ngozi’s Dream:
“Don’t wait for flowers to be brought to you, plant your own garden”
This anonymous quote has been a constant driving force during my adolescence. I first heard it in 2003 during a guest speaker’s talk at my former school’s prize giving and was struck by how relevant it was to my life at the time. I come from Sierra Leone, a country with high dependency rates, and this quote spurred me on to find ways to improve myself and others without waiting on the government or members of family for handouts.
I don’t believe that there is a fixed set of criterion that qualifies a person as a good leader but in my view, I believe that honesty, accountability, integrity and a commitment to service are important traits in a leader. A leader is someone who is forthright, has a high sense of responsibility, and is committed and dedicated for the greater and common good.
These qualities are evident in my personality and I shall use them to make a change in Africa. I dream of becoming a human rights lawyer. I want to see a justice system that is fair to the vulnerable and the defenseless of society. I strongly believe that all humans, without reference to their background, class or social level in society, have the same right to access justice. Human rights and justice are for all, and I believe that it is high time that Africa is filled with lawyers who are passionate about equal rights and justice for the populace, especially those described as the “the masses”. With my leadership qualities, and my passion to see change happen, I believe that as a young African leader, I can indeed make a change.
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I’ve been in the beautiful city of Hong Kong for almost a week now. I am here to raise money for the Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF), my non-profit organization which is dedicated to supporting the empowerment of African youth.
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