…what a man can do a woman can do even better.
By: Onisoman Kos-Ikah
Destiny Richard Onisokaswe is a Youth in Gbarain Yenagoa, Bayelsa State determined to change the narrative by working hard diligently to meet her needs with dignity at 24.
According to Destiny who had a chat with me earlier today, she started working as a “grinder” ie, a welder mate working on pipelines with a company here in the Niger Delta.
Towards the end of that job for the company, Destiny began to look for another thing to do instead of staying idle she later decided to learn another skill this time how to operate an excavator.
“What led to me being an excavator operator, first I was a “grinder” that means a welder mate,and when the work was about to end I went looking for another means,so I asked some operators working in the same place with me and one was closer to me and he said he was going to teach me cause of my determination”. She added.
Though not yet a graduate, Destiny desires to read Law and is already working towards taking the Joint Admissions Matriculation Examination (JAMB) next year.
Speaking on what led her into operating an excavator at her young age despite her gender? “I would say life made me go into it” she responded.
Highlighting some challenges she face on the job, she said some Men do look down on her due to her gender as a woman beyond that, seeing her as a very young woman. In her words, “men looking at you like “na woman” not just woman, “na small girl”. ,That notwithstanding, the experience has been good. The attention from different people knowing you do something like this that men do has been very amazing as people sometimes gift me cash when they meet me doing the job perfectly well as well as words of encouragement” she added.
Meanwhile her mum is yet to totally accept Destiny’s career path due to the high risk involved, her Dad believes so much in her and supports her choice as an excavator operator.
When asked if she gets paid for the job or she does it for fun, she gladly responded “yes I get paid”. She ended by advising fellow young girls like her is to put their minds into whatever positive thing they can do. First see the possibility with that they can then overcome other hurdles along the way.
These are the kind of things everyone should support and encourage and share for the world to see as we still have vision driven, hard working young ladies today ready to work hard to earn a living.
Weldone Destiny keep making yourself and your family proud keep working hard and not looking at anyone for urgent 2k you are indeed an inspiration the sky is your runway.
