Overcoming a challenge that left me broken.

Challenges are part of life, they are natural factors that help us grow if we don't run away from them. A lot of people fail to realize that remaining stagnant in life comes with a challenge so as pressing forward even though the level of these challenges can be higher. I have always chosen to face challenges while pressing forward because growth isn't a choice for me but a must. There are times when things got too tough and I always ask myself, "Why are things like this?" "Isn't it better to just stop fighting to move forward" and on the other hand, after thinking and reflecting on my life, "I always remind myself that, I wouldn't gain anything if I choose to do nothing in the face of my challenges"

Every stage in life, step we take, decision we make or anything that has to do with growth comes with a challenge and only those who stand strong against them will have testimonies in the end.

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I started facing difficulties in life at a very early age and many times I still wished things were quite different. I feel good about not settling for the mess my life got into as a teenager because I can't picture what my life would have looked like if I didn't do anything to help my situation.

At that time, I envied a lot of my mates who were still depending on their parents. Their life was perfect and everything they needed was provided by their parents.

My hope of going into the university immediately after college was high and it dawned on me earlier that they were all lies. The only person I depended on wasn't ready to help me chase my dream while the person who would have helped didn't have the power to do so.

Education is a priority for me regardless of what people think about it, I knew it was my ticket to creating a new life for myself and helping my younger ones to fulfil their dreams. It was my second year as a teenager and I took up the challenge to get educated no matter what it takes.

The plan was to work hard so that I can save up and sponsor my education. As simple as that sounded, it took me more than the expected time. I got a job at 14 and I kept moving from one job to another, and at one point, I had to do multiple jobs at a time just to fasten the process but it couldn't be rushed because supporting the family was another priority for me. Whenever I save to an extent and the need to help comes up, I don't hesitate to do the needful.

Every time I was with my friends and they started talking about school since they were all in a higher institution, I usually felt lost and scared of not overcoming the university admission challenge.

Things went on like that and after two years, I was still very far from overcoming that difficulty. I thought about it critically and set out to get another job, as a secondary school certificate holder, getting a job that can pay you well without connection means you will go through hard labour.

I eventually got a pasting job that took me far away from home, the pay was fair but the effect on my health was disastrous. I usually fall ill from time to time because of the job stress but I wasn't ready to quit, it was either my body adapt or I die because there was no point existing if I can go to school, get a good job and turning my family situation around for good.

The job was a contract type so there were days we usually don't have anything doing and instead of staying idle, I usually go for car washing, painting or a labourer job at construction sites. I wasn't proud of any of these things and I do hide whenever I was working and someone who knows me passed.

Doing all the jobs together made me enough to save for my education and also the family. Five years after college, I was able to save enough to get into a higher institution and what I thought would be enough to pay my bills in school barely lasted me a year and a half so I settled for tutoring my fellow students. I started it voluntarily with the hope of getting help and things worked as planned.

I always get cash and food items from students, combining different jobs helped me get into and also survive the hardship I faced in school. There were some semesters I couldn't pay my school fee and these guys with the support from home helped me a lot.

In the end, I was able to make myself and my family proud with my grades. Life didn't become immediately easy after graduation and I still had to face another challenge in getting a job.

These challenges never end and that's a sign that you are truly pressing forward in life. As I said earlier, there was no other option for me than to face my challenges, they helped me to be strong, happy and brought me this far in life.

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