Omojesu “Timmy” Akinkuade
Before coming to the US, there was this project by Bill Gates in Nigeria, and I was assisting the professor on his research program which had to do with the care of the elderly. With this I developed an interest in taking care of people, specifically people with developmental disabilities. I was able to see what they were going through and I was able to see that caring is sharing in what they are going through. In anything that you do you have to have that interest. And so when I immigrated to America I made up my mind that that was the department I would go to.
Recently it has been challenging because of the pandemic but we’ve been able to summon the courage to give the individuals the support they need especially during this period. So far so good. We’ve been able to do our best and our best has been able to see us through.
CSS is a nice place to work in, it’s an inclusive environment in which you can learn and you can grow. The management has been there for us especially during this challenging time. They’ve been pro-active, they’ve been able to get to us so that we can communicate with the supervisors and the families. The parents have also been very supportive. It’s a great privilege for them to allow us to work in their lives.
Though it’s challenging, first and foremost you need to develop the interest. When you have interest in what you are doing then the coast will be clear. Then moving forward there are some ups and downs but when you have the interest, if you put yourself in their situation and what they are going through and you can help them find the solutions to their problems.
I find joy in working with the guys, they are awesome guys.