PAULINA IDRIS

Paulina is a 300-level Education Technology student at the University of Ilorin Kwara State Nigeria. She has a diploma in Geology (National Diploma) and has attended online trainings on climate change one of which is Climate Reality Leadership Corps. She is so passionate about climate change and that has helped her get the role of project officer for sustainability in a community-based NGO.

“Never be afraid to try something new, no matter the outcome”

Q: Tell us a few things about you! Your background, your childhood and early beginnings! 

My name is Paulina Idris. I am from Nigeria. I grew up in Lagos state with my older siblings as my guardian.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently?

Some of the key challenges faced by my society are poverty, reduction of wetlands, water pollution, lack of good processing and storage systems (this is one of the major challenges, a lot of food and fruits are wasted year in year out because of insufficient storage facilities), plastic and nylon waste.

Q: Share with us some of the hurdles that you had to overcome in your life so far? How did you handle them? 

One of the biggest hurdles I had to overcome was education. I struggled for years to gain admission into a university but while waiting for the admission, I kept volunteering with both local and international organisations and also engaged myself in motivating others to do this.

I applied for programmes and trainings and found interest in one of the Sustainable Development Goals which has helped me remain focused. I also prayed a lot during this time and never stopped imagining myself in great places.

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you? 

The role of a mentor is important for me in order to align my goals together and take the right steps and decisions to achieve them. Also,my mentor is someone I would love to be like in few years to come and because of this, looking at the way she has achieved her goals helps me to know the right path to take.

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share? 

I have learnt this life lesson, that mere wishing would take you nowhere, taking steps to achieving your goals would make you more fulfilled. 

I have also learnt to never be afraid to try something new, no matter the outcome, you have surely learnt something valuable in the process.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives! 

Atlas Initiative, through their various projects eg Access To School for our school children, ELITE project for teenage mothers and Christmas with a smile for underserved communities.

Q: Share with us a motto you live by. 

Nothing is enough to stop you.

Q: If you had all the money needed to launch the project of your dreams, can you describe what you would do? 

I would carry out a massive awareness programme on climate change education and I would invest in research on alternative cooking sources that can be easily afforded by the common man with a low purchasing rate.

Q: Anything else that you may wish to add? 

I am indeed grateful to be a part of this programme.