Bridging the Gap Between Talent and Opportunity – Godwin’s Changemaker Journey

Godwin Kevin is a young changemaker working to ensure access to opportunities for young people. As a passionate advocate for youth leadership and empowerment, he is committed to connecting young people to resources, training and engagements that help them become changemakers. He believes that with proper support, every young person can become a changemaker, allowing them to thrive in today’s rapidly changing world. 

The Journey 

In 2018, Godwin hosted an event at secondary school for an audience of over 500 people. At the event, he realized there was a stark issue of educational inequity: no one understood what ‘entrepreneurship’ meant. Godwin found that at school, these students were not getting the type of education that empowered them to become changemakers and global contributors. He also found that youth in his country were not actively involved in key issues and decision-making systems.  

Godwin was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend various seminars in which he met other like-minded young changemakers in the city of Calabar – he asked himself: why can’t more young people become changemakers? Realizing this gap of opportunity was Godwin’s ‘aha’ moment. Godwin realized that he could catalyze the creation of more changemakers by sourcing opportunities and providing young people with a platform to fulfill their potential in a rapidly changing world. 

Inspire for Greatness 

Inspire for Greatness was founded in 2018 to empower young people and give them the opportunities and skills necessary to achieve their full potential as future leaders. Inspire for Greatness is a safe space where young people can share their ideas, develop their talents and defy stereotypes. 

Through the initiative, Godwin has helped bridge the gap between talent and opportunity by providing young people with self-development programs to cultivate their entrepreneurial and leadership skills. For example, Inspire for Greatness has organized virtual and onsite mentorship programs across Africa. These mentorship programs have empowered young people to build healthy self-esteem and have catalyzed them to take the first steps in becoming a changemaker. 

By leveraging his own network, Godwin has made these opportunities and resources freely accessible to young people throughout Africa. At present, Inspire for Greatness has 15 volunteer team members and 30 mentors who support the organization’s work across operations, finance, videography and more. 

Godwin advice to aspiring changemakers is to “try to surround yourself with people who inspire and motivate you”. These people can be powerful allies who can provide guidance and support. 

Everyone a Changemaker World  

“With the issues that we face, such as climate change, gender inequality, human rights, there is a call to action for us to do something”. Africa is also facing issues including the lack of quality education, gender equality employment opportunity and youth representation. In the face of these issues, Godwin believes that we “cannot afford to leave these things in the hands of one person, one establishment or one agency”.  

Godwin believes that in an Everyone a Changemaker World, “everybody is playing an active role in the development of their community to create a better and more sustainable world” 

In order to achieve this world, Godwin believes that there has to be a change in mentality towards young people and advocates for greater youth participation in key decision-making. He also calls for moral support – if not, financial support – of young changemakers to create greater impact. 

Godwin is committed to advancing youth participation and bridging the gap between talent and opportunity. “This world is ours. And if we don't do something, who will?”