NightengaleBen

Goodwall - The Life Changing App is the inspiring story of Dera, a sixteen-year-old student in Senior Secondary School. Dera’s dream was to sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) alongside her classmates, but her parents were unable to afford the registration fees.

As the WASSCE registration deadline approached, Dera found herself in a difficult predicament. However, unwavering support from her family and the encouraging words of Mrs. Nnaji kept her determined, despite facing ridicule from others.

One day, Dera’s elder brother, Andrew, returned from his own school and shared with Dera about Goodwall, an app that had helped countless students. Initially, it seemed too good to be true, but Dera decided to give it a try by participating in Goodwall challenges.

Goodwall-The Life Changing App by Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

At the shop, Emeka set down his coffee cup and placed a "closed" sign on the door as soon as he spotted Dera approaching. He didn't want to burden Dera with serving the customers, so he made the decision to temporarily close the shop for a while, ensuring they could spend uninterrupted time together.

'Dad, you don't need to do that,' Dera said. 'People who want to buy something should be able to.'

She parked her bicycle in a corner, reversed the sign on the door, then removed her jacket and picked up the blue sweater hanging on a hook.

'Mum asked me to bring this sweater home for washing,' she explained, folding it and placing it inside her bag.

Emeka recalled Dera's visit to the internet café and asked, 'Did you finish your assignment?'

'Yes,' Dera replied, pulling out the printouts from her bag and showing them to her father.

'I poured you some coffee,' Emeka said, sipping his own. 'But I wasn't sure how you liked it.' He handed Dera the cup of coffee and glanced at the printouts. 'Goodwall is where ideas meet opportunities,' Emeka read aloud. 'We connect young people to jobs, skills, and scholarships. Because we believe youth can change the world... the app is a game changer for students.'

Dera nodded, a smile gracing her face, as she poured half of the Peak condensed milk she had taken from the shop into her coffee. With a pinch of sugar, she stirred the mixture and glanced at her own pale brown liquid in the chipped mug, then at her father's black coffee, chuckling softly. 'Dad, I must admit, I'm not a fan of the unadulterated blackness of your coffee,' she playfully remarked.

Emeka lifted his face from the printouts and replied, 'Should I make it as milky as Goodwall?' he joked, causing Dera to laugh once more. After a brief pause, Emeka asked, 'Besides cash prizes, what else does one stand to gain?'

'A lot,' Dera replied, finishing her coffee. 'Through Goodwall, youth receive recognition. They have the opportunity to showcase their skills, make new friends, and find support from others who share their interests. With Goodwall, you don't need millions of followers to be acknowledged. In other words, Goodwall is a positive and supportive community.' She reached for a candy, unwrapped it, and added, 'All you need is to install Goodwall on your phone, create an account, and off you go, soaring like an eagle.' Dera raised her hands in excitement, feeling joyous as she popped the candy into her mouth. 'Goodwall tastes as sweet as this candy,' she said with a sweet smile, amused by her own whimsical thought.

'Can I use Goodwall with my Nokia 3310?' Emeka joked, eliciting a laugh from Dera.

'You're outdated,' she replied, and Emeka joined in the laughter, acknowledging the outdated reference.

Just then, a customer entered the shop, catching Dera's attention. She swiftly rose from her chair and attended to the woman's needs, providing prompt assistance with a friendly demeanour.

Chapter Forty-One