The 23-year-old Uwakmfon who hails from Mbiabong Etoi community in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State is evidently another discovery of the vision of the founding fathers of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as she stood out amongst her colleagues during the service year.

“I thought of what to do in appreciation of the kindness, love, hospitality and benevolence of our host community towards my colleagues and I serving here and what they could remember me for and I decided to execute this statue project.”

These were the words of Miss Uwakmfon Michael-Alfred, a 2013/2014 Batch C Corps member in Anambra State, presently rounding up her service year at Holy Cross High School, Umuawulu in Awka South Local Government Area of the state as she spoke to Oriental News on her motivation for the numerous programmes she engaged in as part of her community development project.

While in Umuawulu, a community within the state capital development authority and about seven kilometers from Awka, Miss Michael-Alfred who is also a Technical Education graduate of Cross River University of Technology, Calabar, decided to make the difference in her service to her father land and crowned her activities with the erection of a statue welcoming visitors to the community.

The effigy which is of a female corps member carried the inscription “Welcome to Umuawulu, a Peaceful Home for Corps Members” was erected beside the Obizi stream which is the natural boundary between Umuawulu and Nibo communities.

Before the effigy which was unveiled and handed over to the community on September 23, she had engaged in other programmes aimed at enhancing the lives of the people, including free medical checks and skill acquisition training for the youths.

Speaking to Oriental News on her project, Uwakmfon said: “I actually embarked on this project because of the kind gestures of the people of Umuawulu. I was thrilled by their generosity, their accommodating lifestyle and their hospitality.

“In the bid to give back to the community, I organized free medical checkup, especially on blood pressure and sugar level. I conducted training for the youths of the community on liquid soap making; I also organized the children and teach them reading, writing and spelling technique.

“In my place of primary assignment, Holy Cross High School, Umuawulu, I renovated the school’s sign post and donated a notice board because they used to post notices on the wall of the school which was so odd. I formed MDGs Club in the school; the club carries out enlightenment programmes on HIV/AIDS, environmental sustainability, eradication of poverty and others. I also opened a provision table (petty trade) for an orphan in Umuawulu, Chinyere is her name.

“Most importantly, I went to a nearby community, Okpeze in Orumba North, just on site seeing and to my surprise I found out that the community has no single secondary school, there is only one primary school owned by the Catholic church there. I was worried and had to get a letter from the state Director, Mrs Inang Ekpe, to the state Commissioner for Education intimating the government of the precarious situation of the place and urging the government to come to their aid.

“Government agreed, but the community is yet to provide a land for the secondary school, though the proposed plan for the school which was prepared by the community is out. Because of the short time left for me in this service, I can’t complete this project of ensuring that a secondary school is built for the community, I want to appeal to the state government to please not abandon the project, but for the sake of the children of Okpeze community who are part of Anambra State, ensure that the secondary school project become a reality, because education is the key to development,” she said.

Asked if she will be willing to stay in Anambra to work, Uwakmfon said: “I will say yes because I love Anambra and the community I was posted to serve, so I will love to remain here in this state if I have the opportunity, because I love the community. They are like a family to me and I would not like to miss them.”

Outside staying in Anambra, the young lady would want to return to her state at the end of her service in a couple of weeks to go and acquire skills on bag making.

“After my service, I will go back to my state and enroll in skill acquisition (Ankara bag making). I want to acquire this skill because I want to be self-employed and also a creator of jobs for the youths,” she said.

On how she sourced money for her projects, she paid glowing tributes to the generosity of the people of the state who she said raised the money for her.

“I have sponsors, that is why I said Anambra people are the most wonderful people I have ever met. I want to especially than His Royal Majesty, Igwe Joel Egwuonu, Ezeudo II of Umuawulu and Chief Arthur Unakeje, Okeudo of Umuawulu. I also want to thank the former Deputy Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Ozo Ughamadu and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Eze Iheoma who is an old boy of Holy Cross High School.

“The Old Boys of Holy Cross High School were also wonderful and more importantly my Principal, Mr Basil Unaigwe who actually gave me the contact to all these people I mentioned,” she said.

At the unveiling of the statue, one person that was made proud was the state Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs Inang Ekpe, who praised the resourcefulness of Miss Alfred and charged her to continue with the good work even after her service year.

The statue, Ekpe said, represents hard work and love for the community, urging communities in the state to take corps members’ welfare as their priority.

“The statue will help the NYSC and corps members posted to the state to locate the new permanent orientation camp at Umuawulu which is undergoing construction. I urge communities not to reject corps members posted to their areas; rather they should ensure that they were provided with accommodation and other welfare facilities to make their stay rewarding like this one today,” she said.

Secretary-General of Umuawulu Progressive Union, Mr Ekene Nwankwo, lauded Miss Alfred for the donation and assured that the community would continue to identify with corps members posted to serve in the area.

Also commenting on Miss Alfred’s gesture, the Coordinator of Environment Watch and a native of Umuawulu, Comrade Osita Obi said: “It is a commendable effort and she has by this written her name in gold in this town.