The Destiny Trust’s Ifeyinwa Obienu wins Samsung’s ‘picture your dream’ contest

Samsung Electronics West Africa has announced Ifeyinwa Obienu, a member of the management team of The Destiny Trust, a non-government organisation, as winner of its ‘Picture Your Dream’ competition.

The platform availed Nigerians the opportunity to express their dreams through a palm selfie contest, which was launched in August 2015.

“It was truly a challenge short listing the top seven finalists for this contest,” said Jumoke Okikiolu, head, product marketing, Samsung Electronics West Africa.

“Many of the over-1,300 entries initially received were very inspiring. The seven finalists selected after the first round had a busy time soliciting votes from friends and family via social media. Ms. Obienu’s dream to ‘help destitute kids get off the street’ pulled the highest number votes in the second and final round.” Ms. Okikiolu added.

Receiving the award, Obienu thanked Samsung and Nigerians, saying it felt really good.

“I still cannot believe that I actually won as I am very sure that there were so many entries,” she said.

“Getting disadvantaged children off the streets has been a dream I have nurtured and have been working towards for a while now;that Samsung would want to help me accomplish this dream brings joy to my heart. Thank you Samsung for making this possible and for keeping to your words.”

The contest is an offshoot of the company’s current theme, Dream Your Dream, which inspires progress and spurs dreams to success,while also nurturing the aspiration of young Nigerians who have great dreams with the potential to impact the country positively. The other six finalists of the Picture Your Dream campaign were also rewarded with Samsung Galaxy J7 devices.

Emmanouil Revmatas, director of information technology and mobile at Samsung, said Obienu’s emergence as winner of the palm selfie competition aptly portrays Samsung as an organisation that supports its customers in achieving their dreams.

“At Samsung,we are committed to seeing that dreams that positively impact on the society are brought to reality,” he said. “Ms Ifeyinwa Obienu will certainly be happy, seeing that her dream of getting destitute kids off the street is going to be achieved, and that is what we want at Samsung.”

The Destiny Trust, which Ify represents, is an audacious project conceived by Abimbola Ojenike, a lawyer, to “address the needs of abused, neglected and homeless children through an integrated range of assistance including provision of food, foster home, education, emergency shelter, clothing, health care, mentoring, counselling and child protective services”.

The foundation’s vision is to “provide as many of these homeless children with an atmosphere of love, security, guidance, motivation, discipline and acceptance where they can grow as a total man, recover from trauma, and live to the full extent of their potentials in life despite the initial negative childhood experiences”.

Samsung has not yet stated in clear terms how it intends to hep Ify realise her dream of “helping destitute kids get off the street”. When contacted, Ojenike had a similarly hazy reply.

“We are only the beneficiary of Ify’s win, so we can’t give precise information yet,” he said. “But everything will be clear in a few days, after meetings with Samsung.”