My name is Oyewole Kate. A Bronze and Gold Awards Holder, Award Trainer, Adventurous Journey Assessor, Volunteer, Professional Cyclist, Co-Founder of Just Cycling Affairs and the official Bicycle Mechanic for JCA.
My journey with the International Award for Young People Nigeria began in 2015 when I was introduced to the framework at Ikeja Senior High School, Lagos while in SS2. Drawn to its adventurous spirit, I eagerly embraced the challenges it presented. For my Bronze Award level, I did karate as my physical recreation, for my Skills I did Catering and for my Voluntary service, I assisted my teachers in the classroom. The AJ was a total experience through bus rides and hikes. For the practice journey, I did mine at the NYSC camp at Iyana Ipaja, Lagos while for the qualifying journey, we were taken to Badagry at Akarakunmo village formally called Aklasunakunmo where I learned about local culture and history.
The lessons of teamwork and goal-setting I gained during my Bronze Award inspired me to pursue the Gold Award. Adding cycling to my physical recreation, I volunteered with the elderly and engaged in environmental cleanup. My Gold Award practice journey took me back to Badagry, where I delved deeper into cultural exploration and community service. Qualifying through a cycling expedition, I completed my Residential project teaching self-defense techniques to youth with Hopewell Initiatives.
Challenging myself further, I embarked on a six-day cycling tour from Lagos to Accra in 2019, drawing strength from the perseverance instilled by the Award framework. This experience fueled my passion for cycling and led me to pursue formal training as a bicycle mechanic, earning certification from the UCI.
In 2020, I was honored to receive my Gold Award from Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and Mr. Sunday Dare, former Minister of Youth and Sport. Continuing to push boundaries, I became the only female to pass the UCI level 1 exam in 2022. Seeking further growth, I decided to grow further by attending another course in 2023 in Ghana which I initially thought was level 2 but was specifically told that levels 2 and 3 can only be achieved at the center which is in Switzerland. I decided to resign from the bicycle shop I was working and focus on my final exams, before resigning I successfully trained 2 adults on the basic knowledge of bicycle mechanics. Some months after my final exam, I decided to join a partnership by creating JUST CYCLING AFFAIRS which started operating in August after full registration.
My journey with the International Award for Young People Nigeria has not only shaped my personal growth. Still, it has also empowered me to make a meaningful impact in my community and beyond.