A Helping Hand by Betangabeh

A Helping Hand by Betangabeh - June 2017 Scholarship Essay

What do you want to be when you grow up? A superhero, a police officer, a football player? For 6-year old me, I wanted to be a freedom-fighter. Although this question and answer seems pretty straight forward, behind it lies a moral that my parents engrained in me since I was born.
Growing up with foreign parents, I was not really exposed to the American lifestyle of sports and superheroes. My parents were strict and made sure my two brothers and I were raised to be future scholars. My childhood was spent constantly learning. Not to say I wasn’t able to still play and be a kid, but education always came first. That is why it is of no surprise as to why my 6- year old self would’ve said his idols were Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko. I remember my father rambling on and on about how good these people were and that one day I could be of their caliber and also be a leader in society. As a young child, I listened diligently with the belief that these freedom fighters were the best people in the world and I wanted to be just like them.
Fast forward to the present and my dream has not changed. Today, I aspire to become a successful businessman and entrepreneur. I’d like to be my own boss and be the same leader in the society I dreamed of being at a young age. You see, the title of a freedom fighter is just someone who helps fight for the freedoms of other. Dig deeper and you will discover that a freedom fighter is someone who does good for the people in their society. That is what all freedom fighters have in common, they help those who can’t help themselves. So today, although the title of my dream is different, I still want to be someone who helps others. Just because I want to run a business doesn’t mean I can’t be a charitable figure. Whether that be in the form of philanthropy, or simply raising awareness about good causes. My dream is to ultimately be a leader who helps those in need.