This is the first in a series of “Why I Give” interviews intended to demonstrate that we all have a cause that speaks to us and, no matter what we have, we can find some way to contribute. In the world of nonprofits, while monetary support is always needed, they also need our time and energy.
It’s also important to see the diversity in how people choose to give back, so I am hopeful that these first-person stories introduce you to opportunities you didn’t know existed and connect you to new concepts, new nonprofits, and wonderful new people.
It just takes one small action to have a ripple effect, and I want to make waves.
Meet Lotanna Ezeogu
About Lotanna
Lotanna Ezeogu is the founder of Skills Tribe, an online learning community for shy or introverted entrepreneurs. Skills Tribe offers, “value-filled tips, workshops, consultations, personalized coaching for individuals that want to overcome their shyness or introversion and put themselves out there.”
Lotanna’s Story Of Giving
Who do you support?
I support Slum2School in Nigeria. Their mission is to, “to harness resources towards bridging the enrollment gap into schools between Orphans/Vulnerable out-of-school children and children in school, through the provision of educational scholarships and other psycho-social support programs.”
Why do you support Slum2School?
I love what they stand for, putting kids from the slums through school so they have the opportunity to have a better future. I feel there is a vicious cycle for kids who are born in slums; you’re born in a slum so you don’t have enough money to put you through school or enough money to learn skills that can provide an income for you, so you end up living below the poverty line and having a life that is beyond mediocre, without an opportunity to be significant, then you have kids that go through the same cycle. Slum2School is able to break that vicious cycle by empowering the kids from slums with skills and information.
When I moved back to my country, I was looking for a place to volunteer and I found Slum2School on Google. I went through their application process, was chosen as a volunteer then I had my orientation.
Volunteering started as a way to add skills to my CV but it turned out to be something I truly enjoyed doing.
How do you support Slum2School?
I volunteer and I am part of the media department that creates awareness and manages PR for Slum2School.
I also plan to donate 10% of the income generated from my business to Slum2School.
I have been a volunteer since 2012. Slum2School keeps me engaged by constantly keeping me informed about their upcoming projects through their newsletters, volunteers are also put in groups based on the skills they have and want to share and group members communicate regularly via WhatsApp.
How do you hope to make a difference through your support of Slum2School?
I want to be that person who changes a lot of lives. It would be nice to have someone walk up to me and say “because of you I was able to go to school and do something with my life and in turn help others.” It would be like the Pay it forward movement.
I guess it boils down to my need to be significant and impactful, my need to make a difference.
Right now, I see myself giving 10% of my income rather than my time. I just launched a second business and things are a little haywire at the moment. In the future, however, as my time frees up, I see myself being more involved especially in the skills acquisition aspect as well.
Connect With Lotanna
If you would like to learn more about Lotanna and Skillstribe, you can find her here: