Growing up in Nigeria, I was never anything other than a woman—this was my marginalized identity. Female genital mutilation (FGM) became the boogeyman of my childhood. As I spent each day attempting to please Nigerian society, I—along with every other woman in my life—became responsible for the actions of my perpetrators based on what I wore or how I acted. FGM became a second-nature threat, as I was once forcefully seated on the dried blood of “shameful” girls, a constant reminder of my fate. I was discouraged from grieving for my cousin after her self-induced abortion with an iron rod. Unable to bear the shame of her actions, she ended her life and was posthumously deemed a disgrace to the family name. My battle with womanhood inspired my interest in medicine. For many African children, becoming a doctor was considered a make-believe ambition. However, the broken promises of a secure childhood pushed me toward investigating women's health. Nigeria is notorious for its insufficient healthcare resources. Doctor visits were rare and reserved for emergencies. Despite my determination to make a difference, I was often dismissed as unserious. My teachers tried to dissuade me, claiming I was too poor to study medicine. It wasn’t until my family relocated to America that I realized my dreams could become a reality, especially at UCLA and with the support of your scholarship. With financial support, I could dedicate myself to double majoring in biology and public affairs while helping my family. It would enable me to focus on initiatives like the BioREU program and the Summer Internship Program, which will prepare me to specialize in obstetrics. My coursework, including “Reintroduction to Writing: Black Birthing Women,” is deepening my understanding of healthcare disparities, empowering me to create solutions that make childbirth safer for marginalized women. The scholarship would also allow me to grow Period Padi, the nonprofit I founded to address menstrual health globally. To date, we have provided menstrual products to nearly 800 Nigerian girls. Inspired by my high school experiences in America, where many students lacked access to basic items like menstrual products, I launched PADÍ WELLNEST to create wellness spaces stocked with menstrual supplies, heating pads, and mental health resources like journals and stress balls. My work has expanded to impact over 2,350 students in under-resourced California schools, providing safe spaces for students to care for both their physical and emotional needs. Additionally, I have developed a virtual hub connecting students to real-time resources, scholarships, and guidance. This initiative ensures high school students receive the mentorship they need to transition successfully into adulthood. I am determined to ensure others do not face the obstacles I encountered, from navigating FAFSA to finding scholarship opportunities. My advocacy extends to addressing global women’s health challenges. My research focuses on traditional medicine and creating accessible solutions for FGM survivors, such as antibacterial creams. After graduation, I plan to expand Period Padi into a global initiative that provides sustainable menstrual and mental health resources for marginalized communities. In addition, I hope to attend medical school while being involved in the community as much as possible. Frequent flights, new collaborations, expansions, and potential fundraising to build schools and affordable care facilities in global communities, mobilizing my knowledge obtained at UCLA. This scholarship will help me break cycles of oppression and uplift women in marginalized communities. By pursuing my education at UCLA and advancing my advocacy work, I can fulfill my dream of making healthcare more accessible and equitable for all women. My commitment to creating impactful, sustainable change relies on your support to turn this vision into reality.

Growing up in Nigeria, I was never anything other than a woman—this was my marginalized identity. Female genital mutilation (FGM) became the boogeyman of my childhood. As I spent each day attempting to please Nigerian society, I—along with every other woman in my life—became responsible for the actions of my perpetrators based on what I wore or how I acted. FGM became a second-nature threat, as I was once forcefully seated on the dried blood of “shameful” girls, a constant reminder of my fate. I was discouraged from grieving for my cousin after her self-induced abortion with an iron rod. Unable to bear the shame of her actions, she ended her life and was posthumously deemed a disgrace to the family name. My battle with womanhood inspired my interest in medicine. For many African children, becoming a doctor was considered a make-believe ambition. However, the broken promises of a secure childhood pushed me toward investigating women's health. Nigeria is notorious for its insufficient healthcare resources. Doctor visits were rare and reserved for emergencies. Despite my determination to make a difference, I was often dismissed as unserious. My teachers tried to dissuade me, claiming I was too poor to study medicine. It wasn’t until my family relocated to America that I realized my dreams could become a reality, especially at UCLA and with the support of your scholarship. With financial support, I could dedicate myself to double majoring in biology and public affairs while helping my family. It would enable me to focus on initiatives like the BioREU program and the Summer Internship Program, which will prepare me to specialize in obstetrics. My coursework, including “Reintroduction to Writing: Black Birthing Women,” is deepening my understanding of healthcare disparities, empowering me to create solutions that make childbirth safer for marginalized women. The scholarship would also allow me to grow Period Padi, the nonprofit I founded to address menstrual health globally. To date, we have provided menstrual products to nearly 800 Nigerian girls. Inspired by my high school experiences in America, where many students lacked access to basic items like menstrual products, I launched PADÍ WELLNEST to create wellness spaces stocked with menstrual supplies, heating pads, and mental health resources like journals and stress balls. My work has expanded to impact over 2,350 students in under-resourced California schools, providing safe spaces for students to care for both their physical and emotional needs. Additionally, I have developed a virtual hub connecting students to real-time resources, scholarships, and guidance. This initiative ensures high school students receive the mentorship they need to transition successfully into adulthood. I am determined to ensure others do not face the obstacles I encountered, from navigating FAFSA to finding scholarship opportunities. My advocacy extends to addressing global women’s health challenges. My research focuses on traditional medicine and creating accessible solutions for FGM survivors, such as antibacterial creams. After graduation, I plan to expand Period Padi into a global initiative that provides sustainable menstrual and mental health resources for marginalized communities. In addition, I hope to attend medical school while being involved in the community as much as possible. Frequent flights, new collaborations, expansions, and potential fundraising to build schools and affordable care facilities in global communities, mobilizing my knowledge obtained at UCLA. This scholarship will help me break cycles of oppression and uplift women in marginalized communities. By pursuing my education at UCLA and advancing my advocacy work, I can fulfill my dream of making healthcare more accessible and equitable for all women. My commitment to creating impactful, sustainable change relies on your support to turn this vision into reality.

August 2, 2015. The day a young girl from an impoverished town would leave the Muhammad Murtala airport to aim for a better life after arriving at the Houston airport. Being drugged by my male family member was no news, intense sickness due to poor living conditions, and Boko Haram which was media to some reality for me. For I reminded myself of my purpose, for I wanted to be successful and make it to America where opportunities were endless. This required my painful silence, and mouth shut. As the plane took flight, the sadness and guilt overtook my mind, as I was leaving my mother and siblings in poverty, making me selfish. Although, who knew my Cinderella story would continue even in the land of hopes and dreams? After harsh experiences, the fear of academic failure had caused me to be outstanding in America, as I was said to know a lot. Recess, Free Food, Labs, Playgrounds, and Acceptance of failing the first time were all things I never experienced, making me feel robbed of a childhood. My host family neglected me, and my internal discomfort got worse that I would wet the bed, cry for my mother, and wish I had been content with life before Texas. Experiencing racism was eye-opening, but different from Nigeria. With my mom's faith in me, she got rid of the idea of going to Texas with the other host family to see if it was worth a shot, and instead got a difficult CNA job to make money for me to move closer to my school with a low-income program. As the eldest of 4 at the time, I had to mature quickly and I began working at 14 at Arbys. Quarantine had taken place, and my pregnant mom worked while seeking EBT. Worked more than 80 hours at times in two weeks, and had to manage to keep up with classes. Sleep deprivation had me breaking down at 3 am at times, but I couldn't stop. With four students in one house, the Internet Essentials plan was affordable but difficult to get work done. All those difficulties also provided me with a preview of the life of opportunity I desired. I persist because I know that in the future I would be able to take care of my mom and get the opportunity to move past my trauma and become a part of medicine major. I knew that since I lived in Nigeria, I had loved studying women's bodies, and this was even confirmed when I watched the delivery of my baby brother. This has been a passion since Nigeria. This scholarship would give me up that someone from my background, can still achieve something great like winning a scholarship.