CoRe must be replicated in our schools.
“I wish there could be a way this programme could be made more permanent…” These are the words of Selom as he considers how impactful the CoRe Programme has been to him and others amid a major disruption in work and career pursuits.
I am Selom Apanya, Lead for the Monitoring & Evaluation Unit of the CoRe Programme. I work as an independent consultant engaged in the provision of Data Collection, Research and M&E Services to development partners in Ghana. At the latter part of the year 2019, I checked out of full-time employment with my previous employer to pursue other opportunities that had surfaced at the time.
Opportunities in the offing included international consulting collaborations and the prospect of pursuing my PhD in the United Kingdom. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, all these opportunities evaporated. Honestly, I was very disappointed and confused because the future looked very uncertain to me. I also questioned my decision to leave my former employment. But being part of this programme and getting to learn from others really opened my eyes to realize that life happens, and uncertainty is part of life. Hence, when such uncertain situations occur, that is not the end of the story.
As part of my duties for the CoRe Programme, I oversaw collating impact stories and conducting surveys. This opened my eyes to the experiences of so many people and made me realized everyone was affected – one way or the other. It also dawned on me that if these persons have now been built and equipped with the skills to bounce back, then why not me?
I took the decision to listen to all the e-learning videos, and this was an amazing expedition. I have now built the resilience to know that irrespective of what life throws at me, I can overcome it. If people are given the right skills and knowledge, there is nothing they cannot overcome. From the survey and other responses from people, I concluded that people were in direr situations than I was, but they have all been equipped with the skills to bounce back. It saddens me that this programme has come to an end. It is my desire that everything that has been built over the past six months turns into something more permanent.
As a relatively young person myself, I can say that young people really need help. It may not be monetary help per se, but we need knowledge, and we need to be helped to think anew. I wish there could be a way this CoRe Programme could be designed to be made more permanent and even incorporated into the syllabus of schools and so on. I thank Rev. Albert and Comfort Ocran and the Mastercard Foundation and Solidaridad for making this CoRe Programme happen.