The president of Nobleheart Children Foundation Mar’yam Thaoban-Adam; talks to us about herself and her plans for Nobleheart Children Foundation

Salam aleakum

Wa alaykum salaam wa rahmatullah

Can you please introduce yourself to us?

I am Mar’yam Thaoban-Adam, a child Welfarist, trained journalist, poet and multipreneur

Can you tell us about your background and how growing up was like to you?

I grew up in a strict Islamic home, went to a Christian primary school though, but we’d always resume to madrasah in the afternoon.

Growing up was fun with my other cousins as we were staying with my grand mom in Ojuelegba, then.

After my primary education we began staying with my mother, she’d graduated from the University of Ibadan then, and with her the second phase of my life began.

I went to Al-Hikmah College for my junior secondary school and later went to a government school in Agege for my high school after we moved from where we were staying at the time.

I had the opportunity to learn a lot from my parents who were teachers, still are.

How did your growing up motivate you and what impact did it have in shaping your person and personality?

All I was exposed to while growing up shaped me into who I presently am…

My father would always put us through rigorous learning process and my mother was always there to pick up the pace whenever dad was not home.

My father taught us right from childhood the importance of knowledge, Islam and Ihsan.

He guided us into being resourceful, kind and creative.

My mother showed us to be morally upright and dutiful, when I say she showed us, I mean, that was her personality so it was easy to copy that from her.

We were drilled to be hard working,   responsible and accountable right from childhood.

What are your principles in life?

As a Muslim my principles in Life is that which is borne from the tenets of my faith and they are what I draw my personal principles from and live by.

Personally my principles in life are simple;

Learn, grow and live right.

Every opportunity should be seen as one to learn and every opportunity to learn should be welcomed and explored.

On growth, our growth should be very important to us; it should be guarded jealously and monitored closely.

On living right, this entails everything that would make you a righteous person; being kind, being truthful etc. It also involves taking care of oneself and soul, eating right, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and taking time off to play with loved ones etc.

You are a child Welfarist, trained journalist, poet and multipreneur, did your being Muslim had any impact in making such choice?

Not really, I would not attribute what I am to my being a Muslim. Being a Muslim has only helped me to do them right.

Growing up in the kind of home I grew up in was what greatly contributed to all I am…

I am the first from my mother and second from my father and from a quite large family, so loving children came natural to me, I had a lot to take care of and I ensured I did.

My father is a writer and poet, he has quite a large number of publications; Arabic texts and some translated ones, to his name and I greatly admire his versatile knowledge and impressive strength of reasoning, it wasn’t difficult to decide that I want to be like him.

His resourcefulness is one that inspired me into becoming a multipreneur and a creative person.

Ma Sha Allah; having a father that can inspire one life choice positively is a blessing

Indeed. Alhamdulillah

You are the president of nobleheart children foundation?

Yes

When did you start nobleheart children foundation officially?

We had our first individual outreach in December 2016.

Before then however, around October, we had partnered with a campus-based organization to carry out an outreach

What challenges have you faced in running nobleheart children foundation and how did you handle them?

Major challenges faced was getting of resources; human resources and financial

It wasn’t easy, but both are interwoven…

By getting one, you can get the other.

When you have enough funds, one can decide to pay people, that way you have a bank of human resource, when you have enough persons in your team as well, they could help spread the word and the financial resources could be gotten too.

It wasn’t easy initially, but my ability to get interested folks who are passionate and driven has helped in raising the much needed fund for the Foundation’s projects

How do you multitask and manage your home at the same time?

I am only able to do this because I have a supportive husband, family and friends

Is there any plan you have for nobleheart children foundation that you haven’t achieved yet?

Yes indeed.

The bigger picture is to be an established foundation with physical structures; school, vocational training center, clinic, library, orphanage etc.

So help us God

Aameen

Read Also; The Single Most Important Factor That Makes All The Difference…. That sweet Is the Choices You Make…

What is/are your advice(s) for those who wish to become an entrepreneur or tow your path?

Know your strength and capacity.

Keep growing at your own pace.

Pursue all avenues you can to develop yourself.

Never stop learning.

When an opportunity presents itself, you’ll be more than ready.

Above all, hold on to the rope of Allah, place your total trust in Him, what is yours is, would be yours and what isn’t would never be.

What is your advice to unmarried and married Muslimahs?

My Advice to Musimahs generally is this, be you always.  It is the best thing you can do to yourself.

I have folks who say “oh I want to be like you”, “I want to have you as a role model”, “i want to tread the path the way you are” et cetera.

The truth is, I am still struggling, just as you are, to find myself, and on this journey of self-seeking and awareness, each man to his own. You should not “want to be like any person” you should rather strive to become better versions of ourselves.

May Allah assist us all, guide us always and keep our feet firmly planted on His holy path

Aameen, Jazakhuallahi Kharian for your time

Wa iyyak sir