For years, I stood before classrooms as an English teacher, watching young minds struggle, not just with grammar and vocabulary, but with something far deeper. Their voices were trapped by self-doubt, their stories left untold. It was especially evident in composition and narration exercises, where students hesitated to express themselves. I saw their words shrink on paper just as they did in real life.
Determined to help, I started a public speaking club at school. What began as a small group grew into the biggest club in the school within four years. Parents themselves brought their children, hoping I could help them gain confidence. I realized then that this issue was bigger than I had imagined. It wasn’t about language proficiency, it was about fear, self-doubt, and the inability to express one’s thoughts clearly.
Then, one moment changed my life forever.
One of my brightest students, a boy with exceptional academic performance, had won a life-changing scholarship. He was called to meet the sponsors for a final conversation. But when the moment came, he froze. His words failed him. His chance at a brighter future slipped away, not because he lacked knowledge, but because he lacked the confidence to speak.
That day, I made the hardest decision of my life: I walked away from my stable teaching career to dedicate my life to helping people find their voices.
It wasn’t easy.
Without a salary, I struggled with bills, rent, and survival, but my conviction kept me going. I enrolled in short courses in public speaking and communication, researched the impact of low confidence, and what I found was shocking, this problem wasn’t just affecting children. Adults, corporate leaders, and even highly educated individuals were struggling with the fear of public speaking. CEOs, PhD holders, business owners, and professionals were all battling the same invisible enemy: nervousness and self-doubt.
With this realization, I started training people for free. I knew I had to help first before expecting anything in return. But soon, I hit another roadblock, lack of funding. I needed to register my organization, Speech Focus Africa, secure office space, build a website, rent a proper training venue, and acquire sound systems, projectors, internet, and other essential equipment.
Despite all the challenges, step by step, I pushed forward. Today, I am humbled to say that I have trained hundreds of individuals, children, teenagers, and adults. I have watched shy, nervous people transform into confident speakers. I have seen professionals unlock doors of opportunity just by learning to express themselves effectively.
One thing remains certain: The fear of public speaking does not discriminate. It affects people regardless of their age, academic qualifications, or natural intelligence. Overcoming it requires determination, practice, and the right mentorship.
But my mission is far from over.
To reach more people, I need a dedicated partner or sponsor who believes in this vision. With better training facilities, complete with lights, sound systems, internet, and projectors, I can impact even more lives through both physical and online training. I have the passion, the expertise, and the results. But I need the right resources to scale this impact.
Imagine a world where every child, student, professional, and leader can speak without fear, where they can seize opportunities, influence change, and achieve their dreams just because they dared to express themselves.
I invite you to be part of this journey. Together, we can create a generation of confident, powerful speakers who can change the world, one voice at a time. Your $1, $10, $20 or any donations will help someone live to their full potential. Thank you
This is impressive. Well done Tr. Arthur. May God enable you to impact more lives. Everyone’s voice matters & no one should be left behind. Keep up the good works.