In Honor of Aramide Oikelome

World Pulse honors the life and legacy of Aramide Oikelome, Digital Ambassador.

We will not forget your name. You are etched in our hearts - and into our collective here today.

Today, World Pulse Digital Ambassadors gathered virtually for a tragic reason: to honor the life of Aramide Oikelome. Aramide was a fierce advocate for girls, a leader, journalist, singer, and a champion for her sisters around the world. She built a rich legacy: she founded bestspring Foundation and Goshen Orphanage, giving critical skills and support to the most vulnerable children and teens by supporting their well-being and education.

Her journey on World Pulse began not quite five years ago. In that time, she held a number of leadership roles, including Digital Ambassador, Featured Storyteller, and Featured Changemaker. As an Ambassador in Nigeria, she held trainings in digital skills for women and girls, helping them find their voice and strength through digital storytelling. Most recently, at the end of May, she held an event that brought 15 new women and young girls online to worldpulse. Com. Her last correspondence with the team was celebrating the success of that event, and securing a recommendation letter to apply for funds for her work addressing COVID-19 with the girls she worked with.

\"I know deep within me that Aramide knows we will be here today, \" said World Pulse Board Member Olutosin. \"She Is one of the most reliable sisters in the world. She was dependable. She was trustworthy, honest, determined. She was loving. She was a sister who loved everyone of us. She was the sister of pure heart. She was devoted to the cause of women and children. I know her legacy will continue. \"

\"We will not forget your Aramide, \" said World Pulse Founder and CEO Jensine Larsen. \"We Will not forget your name. You are etched in our hearts - and into our collective here today. \"

\"Aramide never sought to take the credit anytime. She was just what World Pulse is all about: Supporting with all her heart, \" shared World Pulse Board Member Chi Yvonne Leina, who also shared this video of Aramide and a post honoring her here. \"We Have lost a pillar. Younger ones that comes after us will know of Aramide’s kind spirit and unconditional love. A free spirit. So those who come after us know that Aramide is unconditional love. We can never take that away, her unconditional love. ”

The World Pulse community has sprung into action to honor Aramide's legacy:

• Many have left heartfelt tributes - read here from her close friends and colleagues in Nigeria Busayo Obisakin and Bim Adegbite, as well as from sisters from around the world who she only ever knew online from the Philippines, Spain, the DRC.


• Women in Nigeria have also organized a gathering for Friday, 26 June in Lagos to come together in song for gospel-loving Aramide. They are also working to raise funds for the orphanage and foundation she built.


• And one of the World Pulse leaders who went through a leadership program with Aramide in 2017 has established a new training initiative to carry her legacy forward. Kirthi Jayakumar describes her vision here. \"This Initiative is doing what she envisioned—creating videos and bringing women together to support women who face violence. Her legacy must live on. It’s up to us to do that. \"

In her last post just weeks before her death, Aramide said, \"Scary as the [pandemic] has been, I have seen my World Pulse sisters stand like indomitable lions; working passionately to make a difference by proffering solutions to the myriad of problems that COVID-19 pandemic has generated. .. Shout out to women who compliment and encourage others, even in times like this! . .. Shout out to all World Pulse Sisters! We Are the Amazons! I Celebrate us! \"

We celebrate you, Aramide. Your legacy will live on.