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Change Narratives

Change Narratives

by Dumebi Okwuosah

Non-Profit Government

Season 2

The Blueprint of a Changemaker: Becoming and Impact with Sampson Adotey Sr. and Sampson Adotey Jr.

In this final part of the conversation, Sampson Kofi Adotey Jr. reflects on how his journey translates into impact. He discusses his work across global health, policy, and storytelling, including contributions to policy shifts and initiatives across multiple countries. He also shares his approach to learning, emphasizing the importance of responding to need rather than pursuing qualifications for their own sake. Through personal experiences and professional insights, this episode explores how becoming is shaped over time, and how that process leads to meaningful impact. At the centre of the conversation is a simple but important question: What is your story? This is Part 3 of a three-part conversation. Follow us on our platforms and feel free to like, comment, and repost: https://linktr.ee/changenarratives25?utm_source=linktree_profile_share https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBIWTrCXC3SK2yfbB0E www.changenarratives.org Season 2: The Making of a Changemaker

The Blueprint of a Changemaker: Heart and Mindset (Episode 1, Part 2)

In this episode, Sampson Kofi Adotey Jr. and Sampson Kofi Adotey Sr. reflect on the values, mindset, and experiences that shape a person over time. They discuss the balance between guidance and independence, the importance of allowing individuals to chart their own course, and how early exposure and lived experiences influence decision-making. Through personal stories, this conversation highlights how mindset is formed not only through instruction, but through freedom, responsibility, and experience. This is Part 2 of a three-part conversation. Season 2: The Making of a Changemaker

Part 1: The Blueprint of a Changemaker

What shapes the path a person eventually takes? In this opening episode of Season 2, we focus on Sampson Kofi Adotey Jr. and the early influences that shaped his journey. From the environments he grew up in to the values he absorbed over time, this conversation explores how a sense of purpose begins to form long before it is visible to the world. Alongside him is his father, Sampson Kofi Adotey Sr., whose life and work offer important context to that journey. Together, their story reflects on legacy, exposure, and the quiet ways influence is passed from one generation to another. This is Part 1 of a broader conversation on what it truly means to become. Season 2: The Making of a Changemaker

Season 1

Flying with WINGS: Empowering Girls for the Future (Part 2)

In this episode, the team talks honestly about what the work looks like from week to week. They talk about how they start with needs assessments, why they build “rules of engagement” instead of strict rules, and how affirmations slowly help the shy girls speak up. You will also hear the story of a girl who struggled with anger and how a simple side conversation helped her feel understood for the first time. The team also explains how they choose the girls, why they lose some to early marriage, and how each kit is tailored — from sewing tools to baking apprenticeships to Canva Pro subscriptions for girls who want to do more digital work. They share how volunteers switch between English and Hausa to make learning easier, how partners step in when budgets are tight, and why follow-up after graduation matters just as much as the classes. It is thoughtful, real work — nothing rushed, nothing performative. If you want to support them or just send encouragement, find them on Instagram: @risewithwingsinitiative. And follow us at @changenarratives_ for more stories like this. #ChangeNarratives #WINGS #GirlsInIDPCamps #RealStories

Flying with WINGS: Empowering Girls for the Future (Part 1)

Part One focuses on how WINGS started and why the team chose to work with girls in IDP camps. Tomi, Wadi, and Olumide discuss their personal experiences growing up, the connection to the stories of these girls and women, and the desire they felt to effect change. They also discuss how years of volunteering eventually evolved into what WINGS is today. You will hear: – The experiences that shaped their “why” – How their friendship became a foundation for the work – Their first interactions with the camp – Why they decided to focus on girls specifically Part One is the beginning. Part Two takes you into the actual program and what the girls are learning, so stay tuned. You can follow us across our different channels: https://linktr.ee/changenarratives25?utm_source=linktree_profile_share Also, find more information on the WINGS Initiative here: YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/@wingsinitiative-j4t?fbclid=PAZnRzaAOEVDpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAad6IT9RT9QgVtXp_dAoT3xivHwSirvSCq3L2hSzjtB0cUyQGwXPnjCJ3PaACA_aem_2WMrNqHPqb-ft9qHgaZDAA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/risewithwingsinitiativenigeria/

From Reflection to Reforms: Victor Adejoh on Bridging Leadership

What if real reform begins with reflection? this episode of Change Narratives, Victor Adejoh, Country Director at Synergos Nigeria, shares how self-awareness, deep listening, and empathy can transform not just leaders but the systems they shape. Through his work in agriculture and governance, Victor explains how inner work leads to outer change: from nature-based leadership practices and journaling, to policy reforms and using data to drive smarter government action. He also unpacks what it means to be a courageous leader — one who accepts failure, practices humility, and builds bridges across divides. In this conversation, we explore: 1. How nature and reflection build trust and authenticity 2. The role of data and empathy in reforming systems 3.What “bridging leadership” really means in practice 4. Why collaboration, not competition, drives lasting change 5. Lessons for young Africans shaping the future of leadership 🎧 Listen if you care about change-making, leadership, and building systems people can trust. Learn more about Synergos: https://www.synergos.org 🔗 Follow Victor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-a-05344a142?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app 🎥 Watch Part 1 of this conversation and Explore more stories at https://linktr.ee/changenarratives25?utm_source=linktree_profile_share #ChangeNarratives #VictorAdejoh #BridgingLeadership #SystemsChange #AuthenticLeadership #SynergosNigeria #InnerWorkForChange #FromReflectionToReforms #AfricanLeadership #Changemaking #LeadershipDevelopment #GovernanceReform #PublicPolicy #DataForDevelopment

Building Bridges: The Power of Empathy and Connection in Community Leadership

What does it really take to build systems people can trust? In this conversation, Victor Adejoh, clinical psychologist and Country Director of Synergos Nigeria, breaks it down not through theories, but through lived experience. We talk about the quiet work behind real leadership: listening, empathy, and the courage to see yourself as part of both the problem and the solution. This episode goes inside the Synergos approach to bridging leadership — a way of working that builds trust across governments, communities, and organizations. Victor shares stories of how play became a tool for connection, how self-awareness shapes policy, and why leaders need to do their inner work before they can lead others. In this episode: • Why play, not pressure, sometimes unlocks the real work • How empathy and compassion make better policies • What “bridging leadership” looks like in practice • Why every leader — no matter where they sit — needs to do the inner work first #ChangeNarratives #VictorAdejoh #Synergos #TrustIsInfrastructure #BridgingLeadership #Empathy #Leadership #SystemsChange #Nigeria #Community #InnerWork #AfricaStories #InclusiveDevelopment

Mid-Season Check-in: Bringing It All Together

This week, we took a breath. We’ve been filming, editing, re-editing, and dreaming up new ways to tell real stories, and it felt right to pause and look at how far we’ve come. From August till now, Change Narratives has grown into a small but mighty community, and I just wanted to say thank you. In this episode, I walk you through where we started, what’s live now, and what’s coming next: The launch of our website and blog (yep, finally live!) A look back at past episodes: Alex Acosta — founder of Soul Food Cypher, on how hip-hop heals and builds community. Noel Mushinzimana — on climate, peace, and youth as agents of change. Onyedika Nwadukwe — on identity, authenticity, and the courage to show up. Ubah Thomas Ubah — on leadership, social protection, and doing the inner work behind big systems. And a preview of our next guest, Mr. Victor Adejoh, Country Director at Synergos Nigeria, who talks about empathy, self-awareness, and the power of bridging leadership. It’s been humbling to watch this project grow, from two mics and an idea to a platform that connects people, systems, and stories. 💡 New here? Subscribe and follow us on all our channels: https://linktr.ee/changenarratives25?utm_source=linktree_profile_sharewww.changenarratives.org Read our first blog post, Send in your own story or field reflection, Join our newsletter community Thank you for watching, listening, and building with us. This is Change Narratives — refining systems, reclaiming voices, reshaping Africa. #ChangeNarratives #AfricanStorytelling #StorytellingForChange #LeadershipInAfrica #SocialImpact #SystemsChange #RefiningSystems #ReclaimingVoices #ReshapingAfrica #PodcastReflection #BehindTheScenes #SynergosNigeria #BridgingLeadership #EmpathyInLeadership #CommunityDevelopment #InnerWork #HumanSideOfPolicy #DevelopmentStories #AfricanChangemakers

Part 3: Beyond Systems — Sustainability, Mentorship, and the Human Side of Social Impact with Ubah Thomas Ubah

In this final part of our conversation, Ubah Thomas Ubah reflects on what makes social impact last. We go beyond policies and systems to talk about sustainability, financing, and the foundations that outlive any single project — the social registry, digital payments, and long-term government commitment. But we also get personal: Ubah opens up about what keeps him going outside of work — mentoring young people, supporting displaced girls through WINGS, and why education and skills remain his most powerful tools for change. We even learn about his love for dancing and his view of “good social impact” as something everyone gets to win from. This isn’t just a policy conversation — it’s a reminder that systems are only as strong as the people behind them. Watch/Listen now on: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@changenarratives?si=WFWMxuk8yuexqgVN Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2dxCDVEtRXkeycOhH0oVDf?si=YXxMI1NLTJGSP8qk9pVZsg Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ng/podcast/change-narratives/id1836270269 #ChangeNarratives #PodcastAfrica #AfricaPodcast #SocialImpactStories #SocialProtection #InclusiveSystems #DigitalPayments #PeopleFirst #StorytellingForChange #TrustworthySystems #WorldBank

Part 2: Building Systems People Actually Trust — with Ubah Thomas Ubah

We often discuss delivery, but what does it truly mean to transition from identifying people in need to actually reaching them? In this part, Ubah takes us through how trust is built not by owning every piece of the puzzle, but by connecting the right people, aligning their different interests, and keeping the process flexible when the straight-line plan doesn’t work. From Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus Program for Nigeria (NG-CARES) to Nigeria's National Social Safety Net Program Scale-Up (NASSP-SU), he breaks down how cash transfers, the social registry, and National Identification Numbers (NIN) integration come together, why data matters more than anything else, and how even the best systems fail if the personalities behind them can’t work together. This isn’t theory, it’s the story of what it takes to make safety nets real for millions of households. 🎧 Listen on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts via Linktree: https://linktr.ee/changenarratives25?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

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