Adam Sacko: Overcoming Adversity

Adam had always dreamed of volunteering with the UN. Although she had initially wanted a field mission, which remained unreached, online volunteering gave her a good start. Being an online volunteer, Adam served for 2 weeks, during which, she achieved great results. . She helped set up the National Youth Council of Guinea. Her responsibilities included sharing the journey of setting up the National Youth Council via social media, and to encourage young people to get involved.

This assignment will always be an extraordinary experience for Adam. It was an opportunity to write a piece of history with the young people of Guinea Conakry with the hope of helping young people unite around a common ideal, and this is a source of great pride. The last five years in Guinea have been marked by high tensions between the government, civil society and the opposition, which has stalled the progress of political dialogue. For Adam, this project was truly rewarding, as it enabled young people to strengthen their engagement in the community by giving them the opportunity to build their knowledge and skills in leadership, education, citizenship and conflict prevention and management for a peaceful transition towards democracy. A democracy where young people also have their say, and where their concerns are taken into account.

Adam did not find that her disability negatively impacted her work. Instead, she now has higher self-esteem, proving herself during this mission, and he is convinced that she can still do more. She advises other individuals with disabilities “simply to dare” – dare to push yourself beyond the limits, and to take any opportunities that come your way. Her life motto is ‘the marathon goes on’ – “because for me, life is a marathon, full of challenges and perseverance,” Adam explains. “There will always be ups and downs, but the important thing is to keep moving forward, rest when you need to, never lose sight of your goals and work hard to achieve them.” Adam’s own life experience reflects the meaning of this quote – looking back on everything that she has been through, since the day the wall came down on her until this point, she feels a great sense of pride and hope. She can walk with her head held high, knowing that she has overcome something which at first seemed insurmountable.

At a personal level, Adamher friends who have been very supportive. They were very encouraging during her mission, and never hesitated to share information about the campaign. “I’m infinitely grateful to have them by my side,” Adam tells us.

Since her time as a Volunteer in the UN System, Adam has studied Sociology of Family and Education at the Université Felix Houphouet Boigny in Abidjan, and she has also completed an internship with GIZ, the German Agency for International Cooperation, as an administrative trainee. Adam shares that her UN experience has broadened her professional horizons. sBelieving that her determination and passion will take her far, including, maybe, to her dreamed field mission assignment, Adam feels hopeful about the future.