Grace Oluwakemi Christian Empowerment Foundation (GOCEF)

If I’m approved for Elevate Prize, it will enable me to put some things in place for the furtherance of GOCEF Vision. Below are some of them:

Acquire Permanent building: GOCEF needs a permanent building to eliminate the burden of paying rent annually.

Special Tutorial Center: Many students who have been tagged “dullard” have been stigmatized and are maltreated at home as well. Some ended up dropping out of school. This center will enable us to help more people with one-on-one tutorials than we currently do.

Expansion of Leadership Mentoring Scheme: GOCEF will be able to go to more secondary schools to teach Leadership/Business/Life Skills to students and the teachers. This will help in the reorientation to combat corruption in Nigeria.

Expansion of GOCEF Vocational Trainings: We’ll be able to buy more sewing machines and other needed equipments. We’ll also be able to equip a commercial kitchen so we can add Catering Services to the Skill Acquisition Program.

Establish income generating business to fund GOCEF services long-term: I will use my share of the Elevate Prize to establish a business. The business will provide ongoing funding for GOCEF since all of our services are free of charge to the recipients.

My name is Deborah Oke. As a bank manager in USA, handling Security Meetings where I discussed prominent trending scams, It saddened me that Nigerians frequent on the list. I wanted to do something to make a positive change in Nigeria.

One of my customers jokingly told me to clean up the country when I get there and make them become like me.

As Bank Manager, I was involved in the community, representing the bank. I also invested time in developing my team to become successful and working together to achieve seemingly impossible Vision.

These experiences helped me in carrying out my vision in Nigeria.  

I arrived in Nigeria in October 2012. It was overwhelming realizing that almost every sector see dishonesty as the norm. Bribery, exam malpractices, violence etc, were order of the day. No single person I shared my vision with gave me any hope. Unlike now that people are on board with the vision because of results.

As a Christian, I turned to God for help. I devised workable system.

GOCEF was established.

TAG LINE

Making societal changes, one person at a time. 

VISION STATEMENT

Empower people to achieve better livelihood and combat corruption in Nigeria.

https://www.borgenmagazine.com... 

“SEATTLE, Washington — Nigeria, a third world country in Africa, is known as the poverty capital of the world... Corruption: Corruption is the major reason why poverty is at such a high rate in Nigeria. In fact, many economist have declared that it is the “single greatest obstacle” that prevents Nigeria from prospering”

https://www.devatop.org/jungle... “The occurrence and frequency of Jungle Justice in Nigeria has been a major concern to human rights communities, state and non-state actors.  It takes away people’s right to life... We have also observe that there is no mechanism put in place to address this menace; such mechanism would have included re-orientation, public enlightenment, strengthening institutions of law and order, and sensitizing those who have the propensity to lynch on suspects, and also introducing anti-jungle justice policy”

GOCEF majorly focuses on alleviation of poverty, jungle justice, and corruption. We do these through skill acquisition programs, assistance in education, Petty trade funding, reorient people through seminars/workshops, and mentorship. 

Our programs/services are free of charge. It’s easily accessible to less-privileged. 

Our programs/services have been proven between 3 to 7 years to be result oriented. They’ve enabled us to help people achieve better livelihood and stand against corruption.

Many programs and services out there that are geared towards solving the poverty, jungle justice, and corruption challenges facing Nigeria, focus on one of the three. GOCEF programs/services are designed to tackle all of them.

GOCEF Vocational Trainings teaches practicals of the vocation, & Business/Life Skills and Patriotism through interactive sessions. 

GOCEF Leadership Training Workshop is not just speakers teaching Leadership Skills. The Participants engaged in research, article write ups, and discussing topics such as Bribery/Embezzlement/Extortion and their effects on a Society, Aspiring to make a Difference, and Different Leadership Methods. They must read 3 books in the areas of Discovering Purpose, Leadership Methods, Team management, or Self Development during the 7 months Leadership Training Workshop, and write journals on them.

Experts from different sectors hold interactive sessions on some issues that are facing Nigeria. BARRISTERS teaching topics such as, Understanding the Law of the Land, Managing Conflicts within the guidelines of the law, Equality before the Law etc. CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS teaching topics such as, Fiduciary Responsibilities. HEALTH PRACTITIONERS (Doctors, Matrons, Nutritionist etc) teaching topics that create awareness to healthy living. POLITICIANS teaching topics such as, Youth Involvement in Politics, Engaging in Politics with Integrity etc.

Many Schools/tutorials charge higher exam fees for Special Centers where Invigilators are bribed so answers are provided to students. A young man sitting for his O’Level exam refused to pay for Special Center. He said he remembered GOCEF’s teachings against exam malpractices. He decided to study harder. He made his papers.

Two guys came to me about a conflict they would have settled with gun/cutlas/axe. I took them to meet with a lawyer who gave them legal advice. The issue was resolved without violence.

A 12 year-old girl came with her mom to GOCEF Leadership Training Workshop. When she was later nominated as Senior Girl Prefect in her school, she went against some teachers advice, which was to bribe the electorates (other students). Instead she made her case as to why she’ll be the best candidate and she won.

For good 8 years, a young guy couldn’t pass exams to further his education. Following my mother’s example, GOCEF paid for customized tutorials for him. He passed and gained admission without bribing a single person. He’s now in 300 level being sponsored by GOCEF.

Impact is possible because, GOCEF is accessible for counseling/guidance when people are at the crossroad of decision-making.