education – Gertrude says……

Hey everyone!
So today’s post is quite personal and emotional as well!

As I wrap up 2024, I am putting an end to my volunteering engagements or more like being an active activist – this does not necessarily mean I have stopped caring about global issues or adding my voice to these issues, just that I would take a backseat and rather create more impact with my newly founded initiative, Global Activists Network.

I actively started volunteering in January 2017 with the ONE Campaign UK shortly after I completed uni at the University of Leeds in 2016. I remember gaining interest within international development in my final year after attending a Careers Talk delivered by the EU, UN & FCDO at my university. I was sure I didn’t want to work in finance or in the ‘Economics’ field (as I was pursuing a degree in Economics) so I wanted to try out something new or more impactful and working within the international development sector sounded ideal. So, I started searching for opportunities, then I came across the ONE Campaign UK’s call for youth ambassadors and applied, unfortunately my application was unsuccessful in 2016. However, I did not give up, I applied again a year later and got accepted in 2017 and that was the beginning of an incredible journey of impact!

For the past seven years, I have had the incredible opportunity to be part of impactful campaigns, gained advocacy experience, lobbied MPs and world leaders, worked with several advocacy & international organisations, travelled through my work as an activist, improved my public speaking skills, won awards and been shortlisted for some, overcome challenges, learned lessons and become a better activist and person who has now transitioned to become a leader within international development as the Co-Founder & Executive Director of Global Activists Network – which I will shed more light in a bit.

For now, I would like to share my journey with you in pictures – hopefully that inspires you to take action and go for whatever it is you want to do.

**At the Youth Assembly at the UN Headquarters in February 2017, New York**

**My first lobbying experience with Theresa Griffin at the European Parliament, Brussels where we spoke about the Poverty is Sexist Campaign in October 2017**

**Meeting my local MP, Richard Burgon, in October 2017 for the first time and talking to him about the Poverty is Sexist campaign by the ONE Campaign**

**I collaborated with Restless Development for their Youth STOP AIDS Campaign in March 2018. This was me in Parliament with other youth activists adding our voice to ending AIDS by 2030**

**With David Cameron (former UK Prime Minister) & fellow ONE activists in January 2018 at the Chatham house in London for a seminar**

**With Rachel Reeves, Leeds West MP & the now Chancellor of the Exchequer in November 2021, where we spoke about UK’s commitment to ending the climate crisis leading up to COP 26 in Glasgow in 2021**

With Richard Burgon, Leeds East MP when I lobbied him about the Global Fund Campaign in August 2022. This experience also landed me a newspaper feature in my local newspaper here and Best in MP Advocacy Award from ONE UK

**With Hilary Benn (Leeds Central MP) at the East Africa Cannot Wait Campaign Lobby Day in Parliament in February 2023**

**Spoke at the UN SDSN GIF in March 2023 on the topic ‘Extreme Poverty’ alongside other activists**

By far one of my biggest achievements when I handed a petition at No.10 on behalf of 174,000 ONE supporters to convince the then Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak to attend the Global Financial Pact Summit in June 2023

**Met with the winners of the Michael Elliot Award for Excellence in African Storytelling in June 2023 – a true inspiration!**

**Spoke at the Results UK National Conference in July 2023 on the topic ‘The Power in Youth Voices’**

**Did my first Twitter TakeOver on the International Youth Day in August 2023 where I spoke about my climate activism journey**

**Another BIG moment – I was invited by the Gates Foundation for the annual Goalkeepers in New York in September 2023 – a testament to my impact in activism – officially a Goalkeeper**

**Met the Minister of Energy Security, Graham Stuart, in September 2023, to discuss UK’s commitment towards climate financing pre COP 28**

**With my MP, Richard Burgon, where we spoke about the In Donor Refugee Costs Campaign in October 2023**

**At the Westminster Awards in Parliament in November 2023 to honour changemakers in the UK**

**At the last ONE UK Activists Residential in May 2024 – one of the highlights of the programme for me! Always excited to reconnect and meet new activists**

**Met with the new ONE CEO & President, Ndidi Nwuneli Okonkwo, in June 2024 – welcoming her to the UK**

**Represented ONE UK at the Results UK Summer Gathering in June 2024 where we participated in discussions on diverse global issues**

**Attended an election hustings in June 2024 for the first time and got the opportunity to hear from prospective candidates – refreshing!**

Got the opportunity to be on BBC Question Time in July 2024 to hear from reps from major political parties a day after the election and an opportunity to ask my question and get interviewed by the BBC team afterwards

**Joined Hungry for Action & fellow ONE Activists in July 2024 to distribute empty plates to Londoners as part of the #EmptyPlates Campaign**

**Receiving my Certificate of Achievement as a Community Leader (at the end the programme) from the CEO & President of ONE, Ndidi Nwuneli-Okonkwo & UK Executive Director, Adrian Lovett in November 2024**

**Through ONE, I got the opportunity to take a course on Official Development Assistance in November 2024 sponsored by One Young World & Gates Foundation – THANK YOU ONE!**

These pictures tell part of the story, but not the full story. I have also had the exclusive opportunity to volunteer with other organisations and attended events such as;

Delegate of the first ever World Congress on Undergraduate Research, Women Ambassadors Forum Participant, Research Assistant for Ninos de Guatemala (UN Online Volunteering), Proofreader & Editor for CAUX – Initiative of Change Foundation (UN Online Volunteering), Editor & Proofreader for UNDP Asia (UN Online Volunteering), Content Creator for Love & Care for People Worldwide (UN Online Volunteering), Charity Apprentice participant for Child.Org, Amnesty International Speaker Programme participant & also got featured on their Suffragette Spirit Campaign Map, Bradford Counselling Services Trustee, EU Russia Student Conference Delegate, Future Leaders Network Annual Conference Participant, Project Manager and Fundraising Advisor for Cameroon Association of Active Youths (UN Online Volunteering), Future Leaders Network Y7 #At the Table Ambassador, Grants Writer & Researcher for Community Development and Sustainability Organization (UN Online Volunteering), Editor for UNICEF (UN Online Volunteering), African ChangeMakers Initiative Fellow, World Bank Youth Summit Delegate, AFS Youth Assembly Ambassador, AFS Global Competence Certificate Program, Potentialife Leadership Program, ONE Young World Volunteer, United Nations System Staff College Social Protection Ambassador, EFL Tutor with Angloville, Global Schools Program Panelist, Local Pathways Fellow with UN SDSN, Review Panelist with United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), Junior Research Fellow with European Institute of Policy Research and Human Rights (EIPRHR), Speaker at IRUKA’s session on ‘How to be an Effective Changemaker’, UK Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women, Their World Global Youth Ambassador, Nurturing Talent Mentoring Scheme Mentor, Storytelling Fellow with 50 Percent, Inspire Her Afrika Mentor, Social Media Ambassador with Global Landscapes Forum, Speaker at WACUNA UK Board Meeting, Jury Member for African Caribbean Sustainability and Investment Summit (ACSIS), Doha Youth Forum & Doha Forum Participant.

Okayyy! Like did I really do all that? Pheww! I definitely deserve a BREAK!

Looking back, I can say this 7 year journey (almost 8 years) has definitely been worth it – it has not paid off monetarily (I wish it did sometimes) but I have forged connections, created memories and travelled owing to some of these opportunities and I will never take them for granted. On the other hand, there were burnouts and times where campaigns did not yield the impact or intended outcome which sometimes made me feel like giving up but I did not.

Also, whilst doing all these, I found myself applying for jobs to tons of organisations including some of these organisations I actively volunteered for and guess what? I was rejected – LOL! The more we live, the more we learn! My takeaway from this is, it is all good – there is a reason God does not want me to be there and BOY! Valid reasons…I do not even want to work for them actually currently. I am thankful for the volunteering experience and that is it!

Moving forward, I am going to be focusing on my not for profit initiative which I co-founded earlier this year, Global Activists Network which seeks to platform and provide the necessary support for grassroots activists all over the globe! I look forward to applying the skills gained all over the years being an active activist and campaigner to this organisation and establish it to become one of the best youth and SDGs focused organisations out there.

I am also going to focus on establishing my career (high paying roles & consultancy jobs with charities or NGOs) and dedicating myself to getting into prestigious programs that will accelerate my career further and create more impact. The only volunteering I will be focused on is my not for profit, Global Activists Network. Anything else ranging from speaking, consulting or being a board/advisory member HAS to be paid because I have built myself so much and invested in myself to get here and of course volunteered for years. I am not willing and available to offer these services for free anymore. My email is: asumadugertrude@yahoo.com (serious enquiries only!)

Lastly, if you are a young person who wants to get into any sector at all (not just international affairs), learn to serve – or volunteer in other words. It can suck (I know that feeling) but get the experience you want and build yourself to the point where you don’t have to do so anymore. It doesn’t have to be 7 years like me but you decide when you feel you have equipped yourself enough not to offer your services for free anymore. If you ask any professional you admire and they are very honest with you, they will tell you they had to volunteer at some point in their careers especially at the beginning so never see it as a waste of time, more like a preparation period. You will WIN if you take in the good out of all the experiences and become an expert in some years time.

I am super excited to see what the future holds – I know it is BEAUTIFUL. I just want to thank everyone who has rocked this journey with me and all the organisations who created these programmes which gave me the opportunity to gain these experiences, learn and hone new and existing skills and create impact! God bless you all – you are all part of my STORY. I plan to tell this a bit more in detail soon! (Stay tuned!)

I hope this has inspired someone – you too can be a CHANGEMAKER just like me.

See you soon for the last blog post of the year!