In February 2020, Omowuni Blessing Oyewole (Shona) matriculated as an undergraduate at the Polytechnic, Ede Osun State with the support of the Yes, We Are Winning Foundation. Though with a physical disability, Shona who uses a wheel chair never relented on her desire to further her education.
Her determination to succeed motivated the foundation to offer her scholarship to study Nutrition & Dietetics. Today, we are proud to celebrate Shona who has completed her National Diploma (ND1) at the Polytechnic Ede.
Omowunmi Shona on her convocation day at the Polytechnic Ede in 2020
According to her, “Disability is This-ability.” Omowunmi believes that her disability is never a limitation to her success in life. She was certain that she would overcome the challenges of going to school with her inability to walk. Omowunmi wants everyone living with disability to never give up on themselves, but to be determined to succeed as she is. “Suicide is not an option”, she enthused!
Omowunmi on the day of her final exams at The Polytechnic Ede.
Congratulations to you the Mum, her siblings and her friends who stood by her all the way. Congratulations to Omowunmi! The foundation is with you all the way, and we wish you more wins in your future endeavours!
Friend, these are hard times; these are perilous days. We are all in the gutters. But while some look at the stars, others stare at their wounds. As for you, you have to be strong now, because things will get better. It might be stormy now but it can’t rain forever.
Matin Luther King counsels: “We must accept finite disappointment but we must never lose finite hope. ” Indeed, the hardship and distress of life may plunge you into depression and hopelessness, but you must never lose hope because the darkest part of the night is the nearest to the morning.
What should you do? In the words of Lee Lococco, “In times of great stress and adversity, it’s always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and energy into something positive.”
“You never know how strong you are until when being strong is your only choice. Bob Marley
As hard it may seem, so many people are succeeding doing the right thing. You too can succeed! Take courage and stay on the right side.
The theme for World Malaria Day 2022 is “Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives.” As the world continues to fight the deadly malaria disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) is working toward finding out new techniques and innovations that can help fight malaria easily.
World Malaria Day 2022 focuses on the importance of controlling malaria and creating awareness against the disease.
FACTS ABOUT MALARIA YOU NEVER KNEW EXISTED.
The word “malaria” means “bad air.” In the 18th century, people thought that malaria was caused by breathing bad air in marshy areas. In 1880 scientists discovered that this was not true, but the name stuck.
Malaria is spread by parasites. Five different parasites can cause malaria in humans, but the Plasmodium falciparum parasite is the most deadly. The parasites enter the human bloodstream through the diarrhoea bite of an infected mosquito.
Among all communicablee diseases, malaria is the third largest killer of children between the ages of one month and five years, following pneumonia and diarrhea.
Malaria can pass from human to human. You cannot “catch” malaria like you can a cold, but people can pass it on by sharing needles, blood transfusions and through pregnancy.
There were an estimated 241 million cases of malaria reported worldwide in 2020. An estimated 627,000 of malaria deaths in 2020.
The African region was home to 95% of malaria cases and 96% of malaria deaths.
Plasmodium parasite that causes malaria
Early symptoms can include fever, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, chills, headache, muscle aches, cough and sweating. If not treated within 24 hours the disease can worsen, leading to seizures, impairment of brain and spinal cord function, loss of consciousness and death.
Malaria in pregnancy contributes significantly to deaths of mothers and young children, with an estimated tally of at least 10,000 women and 200,000 infants under one year old.
There is a cure for malaria. There are different drug treatments available depending on the strain of malaria an individual is infected with. The drugs cure malaria by killing all of the parasites within a person’s bloodstream. However, new waves of drug-resistant malaria are threatening the lives of millions.
Sleeping under an insecticide-treated bed net (ITN) is the most common and most effective way to prevent malaria infection. In 2016, an estimated 54% of people at risk of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa slept under an ITN compared to 30% in 2010. However, the rate of increase in ITN coverage has slowed since 2014. Less than half of households in sub-Saharan Africa have enough nets for all occupants.
Four out of five malaria deaths occur in one of 15 countries: Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Mozambique, Ghana, Angola, Uganda, Mali, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, Niger, Guinea and Chad. More than one in three malaria deaths occur in two countries: Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Countries that have achieved at least 3 consecutive years with no local cases of malaria are eligible to apply for certification of malaria elimination. In the last decade, six countries have been certified as having eliminated malaria: Morocco (2010), Turkmenistan (2010), Armenia (2011), Maldives (2015), Sri Lanka (2016) and Kyrgyzstan (2016). In the previous two decades, there was one United Arab Emirates (2007).
Let’s unite kill malaria. Every year, the Malaria Day allows international companies, partners, and foundations to work together in fighting against the disease.
The whole world is in pain. It may look like some people have it better but the reality is that we are all groaning under one kind of turmoil or the other. Some may migrate to other countries that look Ok but truth is we all crave for freedom from the pain of life. Truth is, we must have to face our fears and accept our frailties. We are not sufficient, God is!
The Yes, We Are Winning Foundation together with our partners, is pleased to commemorate the #EarthDay 2022.
Earth Day is celebrated annually on 22 April. The Earth Day 2022 theme is ‘Invest In Our Planet’.
All TOGETHER now!
There is no better time to invest in our planet than now! We need to work together to work together to change it all — the business climate, the political climate, and how we take action on climate.
“Now is the time for the unstoppable courage to preserve and protect our health, our families, our livelihoods… together, we mustInvest In Our Planet. Because a green future is a prosperous future.
We need to act (boldly), innovate (broadly), and implement (equitably). It’s going to take all of us. All in.Businesses, governments, and citizens — everyone accounted for, and everyone accountable. A partnership for the planet.
And while there is still time to solve the climate crisis, time to choose BOTH a prosperous and sustainable future, and time to restore nature and build a healthy planet for our children and their children, time is short.”
According to her, “Disability is This-ability.” Omowunmi believes that her disability is never a limitation to her success in life. She was certain that she would overcome the challenges of going to school with her inability to walk. Omowunmi wants everyone living with disability to never give up on themselves, but to be determined to succeed as she is. “Suicide is not an option”, she enthused!
