A University of Manchester student and activist is on a mission to make international campaigns resonate on a local level.
Temilola Adeoye has been picked to be a ONE Leader — a national pilot scheme that will focus on community engagement and getting local people involved in campaigning on behalf of the world’s poorest.
Temilola Adeoye, 23, said: “I’m delighted to become a ONE Leader and can’t wait to start campaigning about international development with people in Manchester. I know that my community care about issues in the world, whether they’re down the road or half-way across the world, so it’s really important that we work together to make our voices heard.”
As part of the ONE Leaders programme, Temilola attended a campaign boot-camp, where they received training in how to effect social change successfully, how to influence the political agenda — with insider tips from politicians — and how to harness the local community’s energy to fight extreme poverty.
They attended Parliament to hear several top-flight MPs speak on how to campaign to change the law, including Stephen Twigg MP and Sir Desmond Swayne MP.
Romilly Greenhill, UK Director for ONE, said: “The power of calling for change and campaigning locally cannot be underestimated. The issues surrounding global poverty can seem far away, so highlighting how important they are to people in our own areas is really important.”
ONE leaders across the country will be working to highlight the UK’s role in ending extreme poverty and helping the world’s poorest, particularly girls and women.
Referencing the Commonwealth and G7 meetings later this year, Greenhill added: “There is a lot of hope that world leaders will prioritise girls and women this in 2018.
“Let’s see how our ONE leaders can really make these global issues local.”
