“Thanks a lot, HPI, for the Volunteer Spotlight feature and for the gift in recognition of my contributions to the growth of the organization as a volunteer. I sincerely appreciate it!”

“I never check my BP or blood sugar before so I happy say una check am for me. I learn say too much salt nor good, so I go take care of that one. I go tell my people for house too.”

“Thank you for the training session for our community health extension workers here at Old Kutunku community. Now we understand better the importance of urgent response to chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes and our role in reducing complications and death.”

“I learn a lot from the virtual volunteer hangouts, where we also talk about things that affect us in our careers as young people. During one of such meetups, I learnt better ways we could construct our language on our CVs and cover letters, as it goes a long way to reflect one's knowledge as an applicant.”

“There's literally a series of things we look down on that can boost our CVs. The session on CV writing during one of our volunteer mixers was a major eye-opener for me. Thanks, HPI Africa. I also understand that volunteering, in addition to actually impacting lives, can form a major part of anyone's CV. So I don't joke with what we're doing here at HPI Africa.”

“On behalf of the entire Isolo community, I want to thank your organisation for this training session on this group of diseases called Non-Communicable diseases. Truly, it's a big issue, and every day, we see or hear people die suddenly from heart conditions. We are happy that we know more about it now and know when to refer. Continue the good work.”

“I learned a lot from the check-up program today. I live in this community, and this is my first time checking my blood pressure and blood sugar, even though I am over 50 years old. Now that I know my blood pressure is not controlled, I will follow up here in the community health center as I have been advised. Thank you very much, Health Proactivists Initiative.”

“My Colleagues, the Community leaders, and I are very happy we got to share the health challenges of our community residents with you guys a few days before this check-up program. We are happy for the support from your organisation in the form of education, screening, and donation of a BP checking device and medications. This will go a long way to help us render better care for people with hypertension and diabetes. It will also help us screen those who do not know they have these conditions, including pregnant women, who can have elevated blood pressure. Before, we had situations where we had to send pregnant women to another community or a pharmacy to have their blood pressure checked. Many of them end up just going home because of distance or money problems and then come back later with life-threatening complications.”

Volunteering was a habit I developed during my undergraduate days; however, upon my relocation to Lagos, the opportunity did not present itself. My lucky day came while I was scrolling through my Instagram feed. I came across a post from the Health Proactivists Initiative, did some research, and fell in love with their mission. I reached out and had a conversation with Dr. Imadojiemu, who identified ways I could contribute considering my professional training and interests; little did I know that I was on course to develop skills and experience recognized and valued globally. Being a team player and taking my tasks seriously while intentionally improving my leadership skill set was instrumental in my graduate school journey to Canada. The support I got from the HPI team was remarkable. I felt happy to be affiliated with an organization deliberate about growth and impact, not just for itself but also for its members.