Tales of the North West Corps Member

A few days ago, I celebrated Easter away from home for the first time since I was born. It's made me reflect deeply on how our lives and the beautiful plans we have lined up can be altered in the twinkle of an eye. This time last year, I was neck-deep in preparing for Ruth's wedding, and I could have argued convincingly that nothing would take me to Sokoto State. The closest I had come to experiencing Sokoto State was through books and tales from people, but that has changed now. From last week until today, my mind has been clouded with so many thoughts as I prepare to resume as a Teacher of English Language at GKA. One minute I'm very excited about the possibilities, and the next minute, I'm questioning if I'll be able to deliver on the job. I consider teaching very sacred, as one is blessed with the rare opportunity to actively contribute to the success of another individual. Beyond teaching English, I aspire to be the kind of teacher who inspires her students to ...

A few days ago, a friend reached out to ask me for valuable tips for the 21-day NYSC Orientation Camp. I was excited that someone found my experiences worthy of being shared. Like every other PCM, I left home with the most valuable hack from my older brother. He insisted I should buy as many white shirts and shorts as I could afford. He told me it was a matter of time before I understood why. Indeed, I came to deeply appreciate his advice because it saved me the stress on days when there was no water supply and even on days when the camp activities were too overwhelming. I arrived at camp in high spirits, ready to explore, learn, meet new people, and interact with distant cultures. A couple of people who had served before advised me to join OBS or Red Cross to 'dodge' some activities and reduce camp stress. However, what they always failed to spell out was the fact that these camp activities are the very reasons that make camp interesting, beautiful, and worth every second. Tru...

 "When people ask me, 'Where were you posted to?' and I reply 'Sokoto,' I often notice long faces in response. I remember repeatedly refreshing my dashboard to check my posting, but the page's slow loading made it nearly impossible. Then, Aaron stepped in to help, sending me a screenshot of my call-up letter in seconds. The previous day, I had prayed deeply for clarity and favor regarding my posting, so when I saw 'Sokoto,' I exhaled with a sense of peace, asking God if this was truly His will for me. Despite the multitude of reports, I remained steadfast. I reassured my friend that while I understood their human fears, my trust in God's protection superseded any concerns about safety. I often reiterated, 'God has kept me in the shadow of His wings for this long; it will not change because my location does.' As I packed my bags for Camp, I made a mental note to redeploy once it was over. This was largely fueled by questions from people like:...

Dear Friend,  I created this blog with so much uncertainty but I decided to take the quantum leap anyway.  My name is Esther Sahmah Binkap and my job for the next one year is to share my experiences in Sokoto with you in very honest ways. My aim is to inspire prospective corps members, and also to bring to fore the beautiful things about Sokoto that the rest of the world is yet to discover. Love, Light, and Encouragement. Sahmah💓