Grace Tolulope is one of those names that will one day echo across the African continent. If you don't know her yet, get ready, because her story is one that inspires, that makes us believe that change is in our hands.

WeCare article in Balai Cape Verde: Social entrepreneurship: Grace Tolulope's dream - Balai

Grace Tolulope became part of the WeCare family at the end of 2023, through a lecture that our company presents every year at the Governance and Administration of Leisure and Sport - International Master (GOALS), an Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree programme at the French University of Lille. At the time, Nigerian Grace was one of the African scholarship students on the programme. After our presentation of WeCare and the challenges we face on a daily basis with projects in different parts of the world, she contacted us with a request for a remote internship. Her aim was to learn how to structure a project, and she already had some ideas in her pocket.

A dream of more than 500m2

Despite being in her 20s, Grace's experience in the world of sport was already impressive. In Ibadan, Nigeria, her hometown, she was already making a name for herself with high-impact community projects. But this time, her ambition was even greater: to build a 596,253 square metre space to boost the culture of her community through sport and art.

When Grace told us she was going to start building the project, I initially thought she meant putting together a strategic plan, looking for funding or establishing partnerships. But no. She was actually talking about real construction with her own financial means. I only realised that she was already actively turning her dream into reality when she sent us the first videos of the work in progress.

So many years of dealing with stalled projects waiting for funding have taught me that there are two types of people: those who wait for the perfect conditions to act and those who make things happen with the resources they have. Grace is part of the second category. She, like so many other people we've talked about in this section, belongs to a new world order of young people who are bound to leave their mark on the world. Not for their megalomaniac projects, but for their ability to believe and act with an unwavering focus on the reality they want to build.

Bethel Fusion Zone: A Space for the Community

Your dream now has a name: Bethel Fusion Zone, a multifunctional centre dedicated to sport, art and social inclusion. With 9 rooms and a large hall, this space will be a meeting place for young people, women, the elderly and children, promoting an active lifestyle and community well-being.

In the area of sport and well-being, the project includes a gym and fitness programmes for all ages, community tournaments to strengthen team spirit and, above all, a focus on gender equity, with specific training for women. In addition, there will be structured training for those who wish to develop their athletic potential.

In art and culture, the Bethel Fusion Zone will feature an art studio and gallery, where local artists will have space to create, exhibit and develop their talents. Exhibitions, competitions and training will be organised regularly, turning art into a means of personal and social development.

And of course, social impact and inclusion are key priorities. The Bethel Fusion Zone aims to connect generations, creating an intergenerational environment where children, young people and the elderly can socialise and learn from each other. Partnerships with local schools will allow the space to be used as a recreational and educational extension, addressing the lack of leisure infrastructure in the community.

The road is travelled

Despite all that she has achieved, Grace knows that the journey is far from over. Bethel Fusion Zone needs partnerships to take the next step, which is actually completing the construction. They need financial support, building materials, sports and art equipment, technology and collaborations with experts in the field of sports and art.

But if there's one thing this story teaches us, it's that Grace Tolulope doesn't wait. She acts.

What began as a dream is already turning into reality. And I have no doubt that soon this title "Grace's Dream" will give way to "Grace's Achievement".

Our wish is that Grace will be an example to many other young people of how to find solutions for the ever-changing world we live in.