CrispNG’s Youth of the Month: Oyiga, the change maker transforming lives of Nigerian kids

Passionate about the Nigerian child, Oyiga Michael has taken it upon himself to spread hope, especially to the rural child. His journey started in 2021 during NYSC, and since then, it has waxed stronger with a clear goal that caters to the educational needs of children.

Meet CrispNG’s Youth of the Month, the tall, dark, handsome, and compassionate change-maker, Oyiga Michael. In this interview, Oyiga takes us through his journey as the founder of Sustainobles NGO and his vision for the Nigerian child.

Please tell us about yourself

My name is Oyiga Michael and I am the founder of Sustainobles. I am from Enugu state and I have a passion for creating change in my community, I love God; I am a Christian and I love listening to music.

What is Sustainobles all about?

Sustainobles is a Non-governmental organisation that is focused on empowering the rural child education-wise. We have different programmes set up to drive our vision including book and cloth drive, charity football match, debate competition and so on.

Please provide some insights into the history, mission and work of your foundation

The whole idea started during my NYSC year in 2021 when I was posted to a school in the slums of Lagos, Regin College. From there, I began working closely with my LGI to organize projects for the school. Although I had a small following on Twitter initially, as I engaged in outreach programs, people started coming around to support me. The primary aim is to empower rural children.

What served as the driving force behind the establishment of Sustainobles NGO?

The need for representation of Nigerian children, improving their quality of life, and demonstrating their significance is crucial. Presently, I believe there’s a lack of dedicated NGOs focused on aiding Nigerian children, particularly in merging curricular and extracurricular activities. Addressing these issues is complex; even the government’s approach tends to focus on large-scale projects that might not effectively reach the grassroots level. However, our project aims to tackle these issues incrementally, prioritizing the child’s welfare step by step.

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You are doing so much for children in rural areas, from your experience how will you describe the average life/welfare of children in rural areas?

To begin, the average life of Nigerians is truly nothing worth boasting about. The entire country grapples with a substandard quality of life and financial instability. Individuals toil but struggle to reap the rewards of their labor. A widespread issue is parents being unable to afford their children’s school fees or purchase essential supplies like books, which is where I step in. Sustainobles has been orchestrating programs to provide socks, sandals, books, balls, lunch bags, and cover school fees for children.

What policies do you hope to see implemented in the future as regards children in rural areas?

People are dropping out of school due to the prevailing notion that education isn’t truly worthwhile. Therefore, we must emphasize promoting education as a pathway to a better livelihood. Our policies should be geared toward enhancing our educational standards.

Can you share some notable success stories and the impact your organization has achieved in the communities you serve?

There are numerous stories, but in summary, I have over 46,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter) and they support this vision. Sustainobles recycle plastic bottles to generate funds, so, when these followers use plastic bottles, they keep them, and monthly, I collect these bottles from their homes. By the term’s end, we sell them, using the proceeds to pay the fees of children in need.

Also, in Makoko, a community lacked clean water; I funded a borehole through contributions on Twitter. Our ‘Back to School’ campaign provided sandals for 1000 kids, distributed 500 lunch bags at Star Universal Private School, and supplied footballs to Regin College.

What strategies does Sustainobles employ to secure funding for its operations and projects?

We have never applied for funding or grants. I just tweet about the project and the amount needed for it and people come to support me because of my track record.

What are the challenges or hindrances that your organization encounters in its mission?

I don’t necessarily see it as a challenge, but at times, when I tweet, I encounter comments like “You are an Iberibe” or questions such as “Why are you doing it in Lagos? Why not in your hometown?” which is not encouraging.

In what ways does your NGO collaborate with other entities, such as government agencies, local communities or individuals to fulfill its objectives?

We’ve never partnered with any government agency. My tweets garner about 20 million impressions, and my followers act as a team of volunteers. Some collect bottles, others gather recyclable items like cartoons, and that sums up our collaboration efforts.

What are your organization’s short-term and long-term aspirations, and how do you envision the growth and development of your work in the future?

On the short-term we want to impact the lives of multiple children. We want to stop the ‘Agbero’ continuum and the idea that one needs to sell dope, or engage in fraud before they can succeed. In the long run, impacting these children could lead to a greater change in their future.

How can individuals or organizations offer their support to aid your NGO’s endeavors?

People can support us whenever we have programmes, our next project is in February.

As a young achiever, who have been your sources of inspiration and how accessible were the resources and information that shaped your journey?

Prof. Yemi Adewonyi, a lecturer in my school, inspired me to become a symbol of change wherever I am. Therefore, I strive to make a positive impact on at least one child, and that has become my mantra.

Do you ever feel that your dreams are too big for you, and how do you overcome your fears?

While some people have dreams and aspirations, individuals like us have dreams and nightmares, because we understand that if we do not succeed, we risk falling back into the slums we emerged from. We started from ground zero, so, any small win is positive and valid. Our dreams are humongous; we have seen the bad side of reality and we know the consequences, so, there’s no turning back for us.

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What advice would you like to share with young people who aspire to make a positive impact?

In the words of John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” The change we all think we deserve can only come about through our collective efforts, bit by bit, unit by unit, family by family, community by community, district by district, and nation by nation.