My Journey with HAPEI: How My First Volunteering Experience Ignited My Passion for Advocacy

By Iji Adebowale Salem

Sometimes, one opportunity is all it takes to discover a passion that changes the direction of your journey. For me, that opportunity came in 2025 when I joined the Humanitarian Advocacy Peace and Education Initiative (HAPEI) as a volunteer. What began as my first volunteering experience with a non-governmental organization became a turning point in my understanding of advocacy, peacebuilding, and the power of using my voice to create change.

Taking the First Step

My name is Iji Adebowale Salem, and I am a graduate of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, Nigeria.

In early 2025, while I was in my 300 level, I joined HAPEI as a volunteer. At the time, I did not fully understand what the experience would involve or how much I would learn from it. I was simply stepping into something new, eager to gain experience and explore opportunities beyond the classroom.

My first assignment was the Youth Peacebuilder Initiative (YPI), a school-based advocacy project implemented from May 15 to June 26, 2025, at Oye-Egbo High School in Oye-Ekiti.

As my first volunteering experience with an NGO, the project introduced me to the practical side of advocacy and community engagement. Together with five other volunteers, I participated in sessions with students on the importance of peace, the causes of conflict, and the role individuals can play in promoting peaceful coexistence.

We also introduced the students to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), explaining what each goal represented, why it mattered, and how the goals connected to their everyday lives and experiences as students.

It was an opportunity to take ideas I had encountered academically and communicate them in ways that could help others understand their relevance.

The Moment That Changed My Perspective

One of the most memorable moments of the project was leading a teaching session on the first day.
Standing before the students and speaking about peace gave me a new perspective on advocacy. Until then, much of my understanding of advocacy had been shaped by what I learned in the classroom. But that experience helped me see what it meant to communicate a message, engage an audience, and encourage people to think differently about issues affecting their lives.

It was more than delivering a lesson. It was an opportunity to recognize that my voice could serve a purpose beyond expressing my opinions. It could help raise awareness, encourage understanding, and contribute to positive change.

That first session sparked something in me. I wanted to do more, speak up for causes that mattered, and find meaningful ways to contribute to the well-being of people and communities.

Discovering Advocacy Beyond the Classroom

As I continued my journey, I began to understand advocacy in a more practical and personal way.
Advocacy was no longer just a concept to define or explain in an academic setting. It became something I could experience through engagement, communication, and action. I began to appreciate the importance of speaking up for a cause, helping others understand an issue, and creating opportunities for people to participate in conversations that matter.

My experience with HAPEI provided the space to begin that journey. It allowed me to learn by doing, engage with students, collaborate with fellow volunteers, and see how seemingly simple activities could contribute to a broader mission of peace and development.

Gradually, I became more conscious of how I could use my voice and abilities to support causes I believed in. The experience also inspired me to initiate other advocacy movements focused on personal development and peace during my time at FUOYE.

Looking back, I can see how that first opportunity helped shape my interests and encouraged me to take further steps toward becoming an advocate for positive change.

More Than Volunteering: A Journey of Growth

Joining HAPEI was more than adding a volunteering experience to my résumé. It was an opportunity to learn, grow, collaborate, and discover new possibilities.
Through the Youth Peacebuilder Initiative, I experienced the value of taking knowledge beyond the classroom and into the community. I learned that advocacy becomes more meaningful when it connects with people’s experiences and encourages them to reflect, participate, and take action.
The experience also reminded me that personal growth does not always begin with having everything figured out. Sometimes, it begins with accepting an opportunity, being willing to learn, and allowing experience to shape your understanding of what you can contribute.

I joined HAPEI without fully knowing where the journey would lead. Yet, that first step helped me discover a passion that continued to influence my activities and interests beyond the project.

A Message to Anyone Considering Volunteering

If there is one thing my experience has taught me, it is that you do not need to have everything figured out before you begin.
Volunteering can be an opportunity to discover your strengths, develop practical skills, explore your interests, and find meaningful ways to contribute to your community. It can also introduce you to people, experiences, and causes that change how you see the world.
You may begin by supporting a single project, participating in a community activity, or helping to share an important message. What matters is your willingness to learn, contribute, and remain open to new possibilities.

My journey with HAPEI reminded me that the first step does not have to be extraordinary to be meaningful.

Sometimes, its greatest value lies in what it helps you discover about yourself and the difference you can make.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

When I reflect on my journey, I see my time with HAPEI as the beginning of a process of learning, growth, and purpose. My first volunteering experience introduced me to advocacy in a way that extended beyond academic knowledge and encouraged me to explore how I could contribute to peace and personal development.
What started as a step into something new became a foundation for further action.
My story is a reminder that opportunities to serve can also become opportunities to discover purpose. We may not always know where a new experience will lead, but when we approach it with an open mind and a willingness to learn, it can help us recognize possibilities we had not previously considered.
Sometimes, all it takes is one opportunity, one experience, and the courage to begin.

At HAPEI, we believe that young people grow into changemakers when they have opportunities to learn, participate, and put their knowledge into action. Iji’s journey reflects the value of creating spaces where young people can discover their voices and begin contributing to meaningful change.
Interested in making a difference? Explore HAPEI’s programs and volunteering opportunities at hapeiglobal.org.