Access to Success

Material poverty robs people of one of God’s greatest gifts: choice. At A2S, across our programs, we focus on restoring agency and the gift of choice. Our hope is to empower each person in our programs to be a Godly steward of their time, talents, and treasures in their communities. This starts with building agency by equipping our kids with the tools they need to take ownership of their own paths. Our kids and scholars put this video together to share an overview of A2S. In the full video, you will get to hear from Olabisi, Dorothy, and Destiny as they share their experiences building Agency at A2S. Check out the link in our bio to see what our scholars have to say about A2S. #ShareSmiles #InspireHope #EmpowerDreams #Agency #Choice #GodlyStewards

Mary, Omofeba, Angel, and Margaret are proud alumni of the Access To Success Scholarship Program, and their journeys reflect remarkable growth, resilience, and consistency. From the onset, each scholar demonstrated a strong sense of purpose and remained steadfast in pursuing their academic, personal, and professional goals despite the challenges encountered along the way. It has been inspiring to witness their transformation from ambitious students into accomplished professionals making meaningful contributions within their respective fields. Through discipline, dedication, and hard work, Angel and Margaret successfully became Certified Nurses, while Mary pursued her passion and earned certification as a Physiotherapist and Omofeba stayed resilient and became a Certified Radiographer. Their stories serve as powerful reminders of what can be achieved when determination is met with the right support system and opportunities. Beyond their individual accomplishments, they have become role models for younger scholars, inspiring others to pursue excellence with courage and consistency. Their achievements stand as a testament to the impact of opportunity, perseverance, and the commitment to keep moving forward, even when the journey is challenging.

COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE!! Join us for our 2nd Annual A2S Golf Tournament at Cabarrus Country Club on May 18th at 9 a.m. Don't miss out on a beautiful day in sunny Charlotte to support Nigerian youth and their families with tools to overcome poverty and pursue a life of dignity and hope. We are just TEN days out from this special event, and we still have just a FEW SPOTS LEFT! So please hurry and sign up today! 👉 /event/a2sgolf (Link also in bio). We can’t wait to see you on the green! #AccesstoSuccess #GolfForGood #SpringGolf See less

Access to Digital Learning & Literacy In many communities across Nigeria, young people still lack access to basic digital tools and literacy. While the world is rapidly advancing with technology, many students are left without the skills needed to navigate computers, create digital content, or understand emerging tools like AI. This gap limits their opportunities and holds back their potential. The A2S Solution Bridging the digital divide starts with access. A2S is actively working to close this gap through initiatives like our recent After School Academy hands-on learning "Tech Boot Camp" where we covered: 💻 Computer appreciation 📄 Using Google tools to format documents 🎨 Graphics design 🤖 Introduction to AI With 84 students in attendance, ages 10–18, the five-day learning series created a space for curiosity, creativity, and growth. Thanks to the dedication of our staff and volunteers, these students gained practical skills and the confidence to begin exploring the digital world. #DigitalLiteracy #Nigeria #YouthEmpowerment #AccesstoSuccess

Shoutout to the Dunn Family for hosting an Evening with A2S yesterday. We are so grateful for their willingness to share what is on their hearts following their Vision Trip experience last summer. It was an exciting evening of fellowship and storytelling with friends old and new. Chris shared about his beginnings with A2S before our founding. As he dreamed up the original idea for “Kicks from Cats” for Andrew Lovedale’s (@anlovedale ) shoe drive at Davidson College, he asked himself “why not us?” when thinking about who could help. He then shared as he followed A2S’s founding, served on the board, and visited Nigeria multiple times, he realized the real question was about the kids in the shoes. He started asking, “why not them?”, when it comes to realizing their potential. Oliver shared about his first time in Nigeria last summer with his parents. He realized that despite their circumstances, he is not that different from our kids at A2S. They share the same fears, desires, and curiosities in life. We love anytime we have an opportunity to share the A2S story to a broader audience. Do you have friends and family you’d like to introduce to A2S? We hope you’ll consider hosting an event in your home, office, or favorite gathering place to share our story. If this idea speaks to you, send us a message! #eveningwithA2S #dignity #a2svisiontrip

Mercy, a local entrepreneur who recently attended our A2S Business Summit in Benin City, shared a powerful reflection: there’s so much to gain from learning from those who’ve gone before us. For young business owners, opportunities like this can be truly transformative. Did you know we have dozens of local entrepreneurs eager to grow through our business classes and peer learning? Many are also actively seeking mentors to help guide their journey. We’re often asked how others can support this work. If you have a business or corporate background and are open to mentoring a young entrepreneur in Nigeria, we would love to connect with you. Reach out anytime at [email protected] to help an entrepreneur like Mercy in her journey. #accesstosuccess #empowerdreams #EEP #entrepreneurism #workforcedevelopment @beallison @gordonbob

No matter your level, just know you will be better off than at least one person out on the course (wink! wink!) If Andrew can shake off the mishaps and keep swinging, so can you. Amateurs, this is your green light to register for our second annual golf tournament on May 18th. Join the fun, support Nigerian youth through Access to Success, and step into purposeful play. Register at /event/a2sgolf 😂⛳ (Link in bio).

This is the first video I’m sharing since getting back from Nigeria with Access to Success. This is Jothan — a 17-year-old pharmacy student in Benin City who wakes up at 5am, studies late into the night, and is doing everything he can to build a better future for his family. Spending time in his home and hearing his story was something I won’t forget. I shot and edited this piece during our Faith Fuel visit to try and capture just a small part of his life. Big thanks to fellow storytellers @i_am_pramira and @knightinshininglaura @anlovedale Bob Gordon

Intern/Alumni Takeover! Following a successful spring trip—including our annual Basketball & Empowerment Camp—our staff took some well-earned time to rest, but the students were still eager to return to the After School Academy. The solution? Our A2S interns and alumni stepped in for a “takeover” at the Youth Center, running programs and activities for the students all week. They created, prepared, and executed the programming—and truly rose to the challenge. It was a week of growth not only for the students, but also for our interns and alumni, who developed new professional skills and gained an even deeper appreciation for the work behind the scenes. It was certainly a job well done! Special thanks to the incredible team who made it happen: Imagbekhian — Program Coordinator Elimigbe — Assistant Program Coordinator Edo — After School Academy Coordinator Kuyoro — Assistant After School Academy Coordinator Ariemiokhal — Chef Isaac — Assistant Chef Elimigbe — Finance Personnel Osawe — Facility Coordinator Idumwonyi — Assistant Facility Coordinator #interntakeover #accesstosuccess #youthcenter #afterschoolacademy

The A2S Business Masterclass began in February, and it has already become a meaningful journey for our facilitators, staff, and participants. Ten weeks in, we are excited to share just how far our community has come. These short reflections from our facilitators capture insights from Weeks 1 to 4, exploring topics such as vision mapping, faith-driven business, product–market fit, and building sustainable business models. Each session has required real dedication and consistent effort from our participants, and that commitment has been evident every step of the way. We are deeply grateful to our facilitators, @ihedimmak , Erica Madden @emadden79 , Brume Omoefe @bruhill18 , and Babatunde Hakeem Lawal (BHL), for pouring their knowledge and experience into each session. We are also especially thankful to Coca-Cola Consolidated @cocacolaconsolidated for sponsoring this program and investing in the growth of our community. #accesstosuccess #inspirehope #sharesmiles #empowerdreams

During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we at Access to Success have so many organizations and individuals to thank! Today, we’re recognizing the incredible volunteers who came out this weekend for a packing day at our storage facility in Cornelius at @Morningstar Storage (@morningstarstorage ). You successfully transformed a facility full of donations from organized chaos into ready-to-ship perfection! Special thanks to the high school students at SouthLake Christian Academy (@southlakechristian ). Your dedication empowers Nigerian youth through education and athletics, reflecting God’s love in action. To the amazing Covenant Day (@covenantday ) volunteers, thank you for your selfless service in building agency and hope. And a special shoutout to the Llaneza (llaneza.keiran) family—your commitment inspires stewardship and community transformation. We are so grateful for each of you! 🙏❤️ #VolunteerAppreciation #AccessToSuccess

From a pair of shoes to a path to success This week on Good Morning LKN, we were joined by Andrew Lovedale, Founder of @a2sfoundation . Andrew shared how the organization began in 2010 with a simple mission to provide shoes to kids in Nigeria, and has since grown into a global nonprofit focused on holistic care through education, career development, and community empowerment. Today, Access to Success is building pathways that help youth and families discover purpose, opportunity, and long-term success. Learn more at a2sfoundation.org. He also invited the community to get involved at the A2S Golf Tournament on May 18 at Cabarrus Country Club, a day to connect, give back, and support meaningful impact. Register for the event: /event/a2sgolf. You can watch the full episode on YouTube, the WSIC News App, or wherever you get your podcasts! #GoodMorningLKN #LakeNorman #NonprofitImpact #CommunitySupport #GlobalGood