I am Crazy; C- Courageous R- Ready A- Ambitious Z- Zealous Y- Young

Just like many of us, I had a humble beginning which has made me to be crazy. I have seen many people get opportunities due to some certain leverage and I believe I can get the same. I wasn't born rich, neither poor but I grew up and lived in two notorious slums in Africa. 

I have always wanted to dream. At a very tender age, I go to the dump site behind our house in Makoko to pick cartons and make cars. I have eaten under the bridge. I played football on the street with my bare leg. And, I have also fought claiming to be street. I also felt joy walking with my bare foots. Not only that, a point in my house, we have managed to eat in the morning, and we had to drink Garri in the afternoon to manage the cost of feeding. I have often fought my parents for that, because I wanted to eat fried rice and chicken.  

There is more to this, but this is my humble beginning, so many people and children live in the slum today, without having access to opportunities that some of you have today and that's why I am crazy. 

I am crazy because at a point I had to hawk to get food on the table. So many kids still hawk on the street today. I don't want you to pity me but I am telling you this for you to know that this is why I am too passionate and ambitious. I have been robbed, I have been knocked down on my knees. I have lived in a room apartment and share toilets, where you see faeces all over the walls. I would have died of cholera right or even diarrhoea. This is more than enough for me to be crazy. 

I get into interviews with people who have been privileged to enjoy good life and I also deserve the same spot they aiming for so, I have to be crazy. Let your background inspire you to greatness that you can achieve anything. 

I have to spend sleepless nights taking courses online, reading books, preparing applications, writing essays. Working everyday towards developing myself because if I don't develop myself, I won't get all these opportunities. I work every night to get to the top of my game. I am obsessed with improvement, because it is in this improvement/development I can give back to my community. 

I have begged for sponsorship to attend a program outside my country. I had access to just morning, afternoon meal and slept hungry because I had no spare funds. Guys, I was crazy. 

Yes, I am hungry and I am still hungry. You had the privilege of taking Uber and Taxify, because you have the resources. I do not have, so I have to take keke marwa and danfo. Why? Because this is who I am. I cannot be what I am not. And then to some of you, who see our posts on Facebook and think, these guys had arrived. You do not know the sacrifice we make to get things done. Days you will have to save to attend seminars. Days, you will use your last penny to buy books. Days, you will have to beg for transport to attend programs, even the one that's comes for free. 

We get invite to speak, we manage to go and do what we love. We do so many pro bono services to ensure lives becomes better. Yet, we cry because we are broke on the inside. But still, we survive. Then, some say you run an NGO and you must be making hell of money. But, I am telling you sometime we get angry. Sometime, we blame ourselves for starting. Yet, we kept moving. Our vision and passion kept us on. 

There are times, we even forget to take care of ourselves. 

There are times, we failed to buy clothes and shoes because we think it doesn't matter. 

To all of you less formal organization, going hungry to create change we want to see. It's not easy, because if it were easy, everybody will do it. It is also unreasonable to do what you do. 

If you're still finding answers to why I am crazy. It's because life present us with equal opportunities. Whether your shoe is gold, silver or tattered. The same leg continue to enter the same shoe and it depends on where you want to go with it. You have the decision to turn it to Gold or Silver. And, you have the decision to turn Gold to tattered. You also have the decision to complain about your background and leave your shoes tattered. 

So, for me getting opportunities is a big deal, that's why I prepare so hard. That's why I work so hard. It's a big deal guys! It's a big deal!!! So you have to be crazy, you have to do the unusual and be positively disruptive.

I am crazy because of my background

I am crazy because a lot of change has to be made and create a world where every child have access to equal opportunities.

I am crazy about my truth and I will not stop speaking it.

Guys I cry, I wipe my tears and step out in faith to create the change I want to see in myself and world.

I know you are in pain, but get a reward for it.

This is my truth and I am learning so hard to speak it.

#learntospeakyourtruth

I am Hammed Kayode Alabi (Kayfactor) and I believe everyone deserve greatness not the few of us.