At Think Africa, we are grateful for our volunteers who make our organization’s mission possible. Every month, we put the spotlight on one of our volunteers to showcase their contribution. This month, we want to introduce you to Adeola Owokoniran, our Virtual Lounge Coordinator.
Adeola, a Nigerian who was raised in North Carolina, Southeast United States, is a recent graduate of International Comparative Studies and Political Science. In addition to being a Virtual Lounge Coordinator at Think Africa, Adeola is a professional volleyball player for Hämeenlinnan Lentopallokerho and a signed model with Radicale Helsinki model agency.
She joined Think Africa after seeing the feedback from our annual event, Think Africa Week. She said, “I actually saw the feedback online from Think Africa Week and really liked what I saw, so I said I have to find a way to join this organization.”
Why Volunteering?
Volunteering is significant to Adeola for two reasons. Firstly, she recognizes the critical role volunteers play in supporting NGOs operating in the field of international relations. Secondly, she values how much a volunteer can gain from being part of a community of like-minded individuals.
Why Think Africa?
For Adeola, joining Think Africa has been a rewarding experience. As an immigrant in Finland, she worried about losing her sense of community back home. However, through Think Africa, she discovered that she could still find a sense of belonging and connection, even while living abroad. “I have gained a community and friends I never thought I would find here in Finland. When I first moved here, I was very worried that I would lose the sense of community I had back home, but I soon realized through an organization like this, it was right in front of me.”
“It is amazing, personally. It’s great to see just other Africans. There are not many black people in the town I am from, and I am one of two black people at my work. So being around Think Africa members makes me feel at home,” she adds.
Role in Think Africa
As a Virtual Lounge Coordinator, Adeola brings forth different topics to the community. She said, “As the coordinator, in consultation with attendees and topic host, I select a topic and announce it before the next meetup. As coordinator, I aim to provide a free and easy way for everyone to be a part of the Think Africa community from anywhere in Finland and beyond.”
She strives to make Think Africa’s Virtual Lounge a storytelling platform for Finland’s African diaspora, where immigrants can learn how to navigate life in Finland first-hand. And a meetup spot for African immigrants with similar ideals and goals to connect.
Advice for aspiring volunteers
To aspiring volunteers, Adeola urges them to take the plunge and enroll, emphasizing the reciprocal nature of the experience: “Become a volunteer! Do it! Not only are you needed, but once you immerse yourself, you recognize how much you may have needed an organization like this too.”
Does Adeola’s journey resonate with you? Then don’t wait any longer! Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at info@thinkafrica.fi or visit the “join our team” section of our website.
