Oluwadamilola Hillary Atiku was a young Nigerian woman who was struggling with many problems in different aspects of her life. She didn’t feel like she could open up to anyone around her about her issues for fear of being seen as a failure. But, she says that Dream Mentorship gave her the answers and guidance that she needed in her life.
“I got clarity. I got strength.” Atiku said. “I realized how precious my dreams are to be allowed to get discarded by anything.”
Atiku is just one of the many women that Dream Membership has helped to realize her goals. Although it's barely a year old, the organization is really making an impact.
Dream Mentorship started out as just an idea for Ph.D student, Mac-Jane Crayton. Crayton said that one day, she felt a call from God to mentor young women. After mulling over it for a while and researching as much information as she could about starting a non-profit organization, she finally decided to take the plunge and create Dream Mentorship.
The organization considers itself a one-stop-shop for young women in need of professional and personal enrichment. Dream Mentorship provides its mentees with free workshops, business tips, career advice, educational courses, networking opportunities, resume help, etc. Any support that a woman might find themselves in need of, Dream Mentorship strives to provide them with the right resources.
The major professional program that Dream Mentorship holds every year is its 7-week virtual summer course called, Summer Dream. It is designed to help mentees, “build career skills, give opportunities for personal growth, and provide them with the steps to take to reach for professional and personal dreams!”
They also offer three other professional programs: Dream Up, Dream Advance, and their Skillup Bootcamp. In addition to these programs, they also frequently hold free events throughout the year. One of their recurring events is their Dream N’ Brunch sessions where mentors talk with female entrepreneurs about starting their own businesses while enjoying a midday meal.
In their most recent event this past August, Dream Mentorship held a free Zoom event with guest speaker, Charlene Rinehart. Reinhart is a certified public accountant and the author of "Dividends are a Queen's Best Friend: A Beginner's Guide to Dividend Investing". During the call, she demystified the stock market and informed the participants on how they could begin buying and selling stocks. Her goal was to encourage young women to explore passive income opportunities.
Because events like these are typically free AND online, Dream Mentorship has been able to reach women in places across the world. They’ve had members from Nigeria, Kenya, the United Kingdom, and in states all across the U.S.
Although the non-profit accepts women from all walks of life into their program, they make it a point to try to reach those who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The organization recognizes that this group of women may require the most guidance in their transition to adulthood and vows to be that pillar of support.
Dream Mentorship even offers a scholarship program for women who have financial need.
After their journey with Dream Mentorship, past mentees often say that they feel better prepared to take on their careers. But one former member, in particular, has said that Dream Mentorship not only gave her great career advice but gave her a more positive outlook on her life completely.
“I learned a lot more than just some business tips,” said Texas native Shannon MacQuaid. “I learned how to be more comfortable in my own skin as well as how to discover myself. I went into this workshop thinking that I was content and that there wasn’t much more that I could do to prepare myself for the future but during these past few weeks I’ve realize that all of us have an untapped potential that we can all keep reaching for. I feel like anything’s possible. I’ve been reinspired to chase my dreams and nobody can take that away from me again.”
Dream Mentorship is more than just a resource for personal enrichment, it is a place where women can find hope and inspiration. Dream Mentorship helps women to understand that their dreams are valid and achievable and that they can do anything.
If you want to be inspired and receive guidance, sign up to become a member of Dream Mentorship today!
