Roseline Afolabi

I attribute my success to discovering how compassionate I could be and how I can really help people. When I first started in the group homes in 2007, even though my friends didn't think I could do it because I had been working at the diplomatic level in France, I was ready to take up any job to take care of my two boys. That first weekend was difficult because I had never seen anything like group homes before, but I managed to do it, and from that time until now, that's still what I'm doing. I've tried to go through other fields and do other things, but I find myself being called back, and I don't think I can leave because it's just a match for me. My son with autism, who is now 32 and attending community college, has been my inspiration and my encouragement to keep moving on in this field. I was ready to learn, I was ready to do, I was ready to know, and I picked it up little by little by myself. Having a child with disability made me ready to sign up for everything that I could to help him, and now I can proudly introduce him as an autistic child who graduated high school and is now in college. That personal experience, combined with my compassion for others and my willingness to keep helping even when it's difficult, has guided everything I do.

I picked up everything little by little by myself. Initially, because I have a child with disability, I was ready to learn, I was ready to do, I was ready to know. Of course, I worked under managers across the board on a work level, but I really learned through my own experience and determination. My son has been my inspiration and my encouragement to keep moving on in this field.

I would encourage young women entering caregiving and nonprofit work to stay compassionate, patient, and committed to serving others, because this field truly requires a genuine love for people and the willingness to keep helping even during difficult moments.

One of the biggest challenges is the lack of support and resources for individuals with disabilities, especially in Africa. In the area of disability, the government doesn't care, which makes it even more intriguing when someone like me leaves America to come to Africa to set up services. People are baffled by it because it's such a big thing in Africa where these services are desperately needed. The opportunity I see is in bringing education, caregiving services, and disability support to underserved communities, particularly through initiatives like our Cardo Spectrum Academy school and nursing home in Nigeria. There's tremendous interest and need for this work, as shown by all the media attention and interview requests we received after our press conference. I've been able to travel across Africa, not only in Nigeria but also to South Africa and East Africa, to meet with women and communities and make a difference where support is most needed.

Compassion is at the heart of everything I do. I discovered how compassionate I could be and how I can really help people when I started working in group homes, and that's what keeps me in this field even when I've tried to do other things. I value being there for others, whether it's through my caregiving work, my women's support group Global Women where we pray together and assist one another with counseling, or helping families dealing with disabilities like I did with my own son. I enjoy meeting people and engaging with women, providing encouragement and counseling to those who call me every day. My faith is also important, as I run a prayer group and believe in supporting others through difficult circumstances. I'm driven by the desire to make a difference in people's lives, especially for vulnerable populations and underserved communities.