Advocating for Education at the UNESCO Headquarter in Paris

The signature you are seeing on this shirt is the story of 150 children, young people whom I met with in 2019 and promised not to drop out of school and would continue to move forward in their education. I signed and also made a declaration that I would continue to be there for one child and support them until they are able to change their circumstances through access to quality education and mentoring. Their principal also signed, the teachers signed, and some of our volunteers at KLCI also signed. Since then, I have traveled everywhere with this shirt. It reminds me of my why and why need to help one child cross. Why I need to pass the baton down.

Education made a difference for me. It can for them too and today, we have the likes of Olasunkanmi who was one of the young people who signed this shirt currently studying LAW at the University of Lagos. Rejoice another young person who signed this shirt is currently on KLCI scholarship and studying Agricultural extension at Obafemi Awolowo University.

So, I am here holding this shirt and standing at the UNESCO headquarters advocating for quality education and discussing transforming education and the future of education. The future lies in this shirt. It's the small commitment that we all do in our corner to ensure one child has access to education. To play our parts, as ministers, as heads of States, as CEO’s of education non-profits in advancing the educational promise. To be a piece in the jigsaw puzzle that is yet to be unraveled. To be a piece in the life of just one child.

This shirt reminds me of being a piece and I hope it will fortify me to continue to advocate for one child, one nation at a time.

Hammed Kayode Alabi (c) 2022

Caption: First photo was taken in 2022 at the recently concluded pre-summit of Transforming Education Summit. Got couple of people to sign the shirt as well and the other photo was taken in 2019 at Community Comprehensive School, Olambe-Matogun, Ogun State where the 150 students signed and committed not to drop out of school.