Franca Sulem Yong epse Akinboboye is an activist who hopes to be the change she wants to see.
She is purpose driven: a go getter, a dream chaser, a nation builder, a risk taker, a fighter, and sort of a change driver. If you wish to work with someone who knows exactly what she wants and strives to get it, you are reading the right summary.
Thoroughly equipped with these traits Franca ventured into the media landscape at the age of 17, just so she could inspire not only herself but also impart positively on her generation. She started as a broadcast host on Campus Radio while she was pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in History of International Relations (2008-2010). As she put it, “this gave me a positive we outlet to channel her energy at a time when she was experiencing negative peer pressure and sort of spiralling in to a pool of existential depression.”
Upon graduation, she decided to learn more about journalism which did not only give her much joy but also an outlet of positive release. She fetched a volunteering spot at the Post Newspaper and was later on hired as a reporter.
Her career then morphed into positive activism. She started volunteering in some of the organizations whose events she covered as a way of giving back. Then, as someone who has survived depression, she noticed there was no known organization working on what she cared most about-mental health.
Then she took on a journey to improve mental health and wellbeing and founded Positive Youths Africa (PYA). She coined the phrase: “My Inner Peace: Our global security” to emphasize that unless everyone was mentally healthy, there will be no sustainable world peace because everything starts and ends in the mind.
When a young Cameroonian refugee in Nigeria was mocked for selling her baby and became mentally traumatized later, she streamlined her efforts towards war trauma healing.
She now runs the Afrogiveness project under her organization, Positive Youths Africa (PYA) which proffers psychological support to mentally traumatized refugees and victims of war by helping them heal through creative arts therapy and mindfulness. The young Yong states rather passionately: “This project is complimented by the Purpose Scholarship which offers scholarships and fellowships to sufferers who desire to grow from victims to sustainable peace agents an opportunity to study, share and grow. This is complemented by art therapy/mental health coaching sessions, a mental health helpline, bi- monthly support meetings and art incubator.”
That’s not all. “I am planning to run a show dubbed the ‘Harmony Show’ which would not only be an annual show to give them a platform to express their arts, raise funds and release but also advocate.”
Thats not all about this serious, young Yong. On the softer side she enjoys good company, humour and laughter.
She is the lady who knows how to say thank you. Franca is never shy to say am sorry. She will appreciate you for every good act, big or small, now or later. She loves reading and learning. You want to meet a humble woman? Or a gentle, forgiving, devoted, God fearing lady and risk taker? You’ve found frank Franca.
And then, being natural is her password. If you are trying to catch her with heavy makeup on her face, you might hunt till infinitum.