Photo comp: Chiemena Akalonu, Nigeria
Chiemena Akalonu
Award Level:
Silver
Favourite memory of the Award:
My favourite memory which also happened to be one of the most challenging parts of my Award was navigating through the forest. What made it my favourite was doing all the tasks with my team as no one was alone and we all had equal input. It was frightening, to say the least, but having a team by my side was one of the best support I could ever have.
Age:
17
Biggest challenge from doing the Award:
To be very honest, I had a lot of challenges during the Adventurous Journey as I had to leave the comfort of my home and be out in the wild. It was initially difficult to coexist with the insects and everything in nature but later on, I realized how much it pushed me and how it made me come to the conclusion that I am so much more than I think I am.
Country:
Nigeria
Have you continued any of your Award activities? If so, what:
Yes, I have. I have continued to work on my photography and piano. I believe playing the piano is a skill that will help me in future and it gives me peace of mind. Photography on the other hand is very thrilling and I have made a hobby out of it.
Tell us the story behind your photo:
My team and I had taken a very long route through the forest. After that, we were supposed to follow a trail leading us to the other side of the lake nearby (the finish) but we misinterpreted the directions we were given and took a long walk back to the beginning. We realized our mistake only when we got to the very beginning of the lengthy trial. So, we had to turn back and finish the trail. It was quite tiring but we pulled through. The butterfly picture was taken on our way back to finish the trail. It looked so still and tired just like us which gave us a good laugh.
Award Role:
Participant