“Let Love Locate”

Grace Unyimeabasi Okodi-Iyah, International Coordinator

Where would GUOSOW be without the dream, the vision, the passion, and most importantly, the love demonstrated and shared by Mrs Grace? Literally, nowhere. Armed with a degree and over 30 years of experience in psychiatric nursing and midwifery, alongside an inherent entrepreneurial skillset, Mrs. Grace has gone from nurse extraordinaire to businesswoman par excellence to philanthropist with a difference to NGO founder and international coordinator with an immeasurable drive for pioneering the behavioural change lifestyle of girls, women (widows, in particular) and youth.
Grace is resilient and strong and smiles through the hard work of breathing life to a vision of empowering lives and never takes NO for an answer. When she's not thinking of better ways to empower her GUOSOW family, as she fondly calls them, she’s thinking of ways to empower her GUOSOW family.

“If you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t, you can’t!”

John Okodi-Iyah, Chairman

Renowned for his work in the engineering industry, John Okodi-Iyah lends his invaluable problem-solving, disciplinary, go-getter, team-playing engineering background to Team GUOSOW, strengthening it like no other backbone. His quiet demeanour has come to be synonymous with a constantly calculating cerebrum, working behind the scenes to ensure GUOSOW’s goals and objectives are tweaked to perfection. Having volunteered for years with the Rotary Club of Nigeria, Mr. John has lived the life of a volunteer long before it became a societal trend.

“What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.” ~ Aristotle

Stephen Kyalibulha, Programs Director

Backed by a strong foundation and decades of community service, research and development, and facilitation and consultancy, Stephen’s accolades are impressive and endless and endlessly impressive. From his time with the United Nations to Voluntary Service Overseas, Mr. Kyalibulha (pronounced Cha-lee-bula) has volunteered around the world in more than 80 days from his country home of Senegal landing a spot in the blooming town of Akwa Ibom, Nigeria.
Stephen began work with GUOSOW as a facilitator. Of course, love located him at GUOSOW where he became a fully inducted member of the GUOSOW family. Stephen decided to devote a year to sharing new insights based on his expertise and international experiences as a volunteer with GUOSOW. He weekly facilitates workshops and trainings on micro-credit societies, communal resource research and development, and so much more. Stephen is the brains behind GUOSOW’s project The Oil Palm Value Chain.
Thanks to his insights and professional links to international organisations, GUOSOW has experienced undeniable growth and structure is gradually carving a niche in special communal entrepreneurship projects for its girls, widows and youth.

“Begin well. Finish strong. Win.”

Edima Yuyu Okodi-Iyah, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

Edima began part-time volunteering in 2012 as a support staff with GUOSOW. Working as an assistant facilitator for several community outreaches led to a keen interest in comunity development work. From there, she began a career in community development as the Focal Staff to the GUOSOW-VSO International Citizen Service Project, a full-time job that has paved the way for other volunteering opportunities within Nigeria.
Edima is passionate about sustainability especially in development, and is constantly seeking ways to apply her degree in Sustainable Design of the Built Environment to actively include sustainability in GUOSOW’s entrepreneurship, educational and health programs.

“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” ~ Winston Churchill

Itakke Johnson Iniabasi, Youth Engagement Officer

Johnson joined the GUOSOW family as a member of the Youth Team. His active participation and passion for the empowerment of young people like himself within his community led to his position in GUOSOW. Kinglsey is committed in service and a dedicated team leader/player. Johnson hopes to be at the forefront of behavioural change for the youth in Nigeria.
Johnson has a keen,s cientific mind and is always eager to share innovative ideas in a round-table setting with young fellas like himself. You only have to listen to Kingsley for 60 seconds to be encapsulated by his zeal for the development of the purposeful youth. He spends most of his time motivating young people, engaging in active youth participation and serving in church.

“I just sit there and smile sheepishly then I get back to work. There's always something to do.”

Esther Nwabunike, ICT Director

Esther is available 24-7. Literally. She knows when, where and how to ‘fix it’, at least as far as a computer is involved. Esther this! Esther that! It’s a lot easier to breathe a sigh of relief when you take a peek around the door and find his head buried behind the screen. You just know that your document is safe, the template design will be finished in time for presentation, and all the little behind-the-scene miracles IT guys are known for.

Ndatse Ndomo Okodi-Iyah, Director of Finance

Barr Ufot Ndaeyo, Legal Adviser