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This week's Women of S H E spotlight is Alice, the newest member of our Notsé team. As our full-time Education Program Coordinator, Alice manages our teacher training, girls' education curriculum development, and adult education programming! It may sound like a lot, but the talented and dedicated Alice makes it look easy. Here's her story and what her experience at S H E has been like so far.
I grew up in a family with 8 children, of which I am the only daughter. My mother was a housewife, and my father was a farmer. Unfortunately, I was orphaned at a young age, so I spent all my school years living with my maternal uncle in the capital city of Lomé. He took good care of me. It was after Junior High School that I followed my brother to go to Kara and continue my studies.
After two years, this uncle on whom I had all my hopes because he took care of me and took care of my schooling also died. I had never felt shock and desperation like this. My life was turned upside down and I was lost in nature. Fortunately, I was still able to find support from my older brothers who supported me until I obtained my High School diploma to go to university in 2014.
After 2 years in Sociology at Kara University, I was at the end of my efforts without financial support and abandoned. It was therefore in my third year that the situation became very difficult and I had to leave my studies. I spent many years as a secretary to pay my way, when I received a message on social media about a job offer from the NGO SHE. I decided to try my luck. This is how I was lucky enough to be called for the interview and I was overjoyed to be hired on October 4, 2021.
At first, I was not sure what to expect from my new work environment. But when I arrived, I saw that everyone gave me a welcome with open arms. That same week when I had joined the NGO, we distributed 1,500 school kits to children in 20 villages surrounding our prefecture. I so appreciated my integration into this school kit distribution campaign. This allowed me to work in a group, get to know the others without difficulty and also get to know all the villages of SHE beneficiaries in record time.
After finishing the distribution of school kits, I began working closely with our Director of Education, Madame Françoise. Her way of guiding me all the time allows me to excel in the work. Whenever I call on her about a subject that I don't understand, she spares no effort to guide me. She had introduced me to the local authorities of the city of Notsè and those of the villages with which SHE collaborates to clear the ground for me to work.
In conclusion, I can say that SHE changed my story. My life has changed because I noticed that I am not the same person as before. Everything has changed. When I arrived at SHE, I thought I would meet a very strict manager but I was surprised that everyone was like sisters. The prevailing atmosphere really proved to me that love of neighbor is cultivated within the NGO SHE. This NGO is not like the others where employees do not like to meet because of quarrels, jealousy and other internal problems. What struck me again was that despite the absence of the manager when her health failed, everyone came on time, which means that the employees are very orderly and respect their hierarchy to the smooth running of activities.
I can say that these three months working at the NGO SHE are like 10 years of work because not only am I now a fully contributing member of the team, but I also manage to save money to take care of my child, my mother and my other brothers who are still in school. I thank SHE for everything she does for the development of women and girls in this prefecture. It is incomparable with the other NGOs I have known in this country. It will progress forever. Long live SHE.