AFM Stories, in collaboration with the UEA Nigerian Student Society, hosted the premiere edition of The Opportunity Bridge — an event created to help students and young professionals access scholarships, global careers, and international opportunities.
Held at the University of East Anglia’s Lecture Theatre Building, the event welcomed over 70 attendees and brought together inspiration, strategy, and community in one room.
Curated by Faith Moyosore Agboola, founder of AFM Stories and an Arts Council England-endorsed writer and performer, the event featured honest conversations, practical advice, and stories from people who have successfully navigated the path to scholarships, jobs, and global talent endorsement.
The event opened with a screening of “
‘Japa’, a poetry film exploring migration, written and performed by Agboola and directed by Ayoola Jolayemi of Kormbat Studios, supporters of the event. It was followed by a welcome address from Faith, who shared her personal journey from scholarship recipient to getting endorsed by the Arts Council England as a Global Talent, and why visibility matters because when you see someone who looks like you succeed, you’re more likely to believe it’s possible for you too.
Temi Taiwo-Oni (Aviva) and Ebinipere Fegha (Sainsbury Centre) spoke on the subject matter, ‘Sponsored Job Searching, Settling, Succeeding: Lessons from Our UK Career Journey’. This session was moderated by Seun Olagunju-Lana (The Development School Africa and UEA Nigerian Student Society).
Emmanuel Solomon, Research Scientist and Commonwealth Scholar spoke on the topic ‘The Smart Way to Win a PhD Scholarship’ while Abass Bolaji Isiaka, Senior Research Associate spoke on the topic, ‘Positioning for the Global Talent Endorsement (Academics & Researchers)’.
Faith Moyosore Agboola took the session on ‘Securing the Global Talent Endorsement as a Creative’.
Co-hosts Success Yole Areeveso and Blessing Agbeetan brought energy and humour, helping attendees feel welcomed and seen. The program also included fireside chats, interactive Q&As, networking breaks, refreshments and a chance for attendees to connect with speakers one-on-one.
From navigating job applications in the UK to finding the right words for scholarship essays, the event focused on real-life strategies and lived experiences.
Every speaker shared practical tools while being honest about setbacks, failures, and the resilience it takes to keep going. Attendees left with new connections, inspiration to pick up paused applications, and a stronger belief in what’s possible for them.
One of the most impactful reflections came from attendee Divine Brown, who wrote a dedicated post on Linkedin:
“Have you ever sat in a room full of people who ‘get’ you — your journey, your hopes, your hurdles — and for the first time in a long while, you truly felt seen, heard, and understood? That was me at #TheOpportunityBridge.”
Emma Van Haren, Student Experience Officer at UEA, added:
“I loved The Opportunity Bridge, where AFM Stories celebrated the power of personal stories to show others: ‘I’ve done it, so you can too.”
Following its success in Norwich, AFM Stories plans to bring The Opportunity Bridge to more cities and universities, starting with Lagos, London, or Leicester later this year. The goal is to continue creating spaces where people feel equipped to pursue international opportunities and confident enough to take the next step.
AFM Stories is an edutainment platform founded by Faith Moyosore Agboola, created to support individuals from underrepresented communities in navigating global opportunities. Through engaging multimedia content, masterclasses, events, resources and coaching, AFM Stories has guided thousands to secure fully funded scholarships, jobs, and global opportunities. The platform believes in the power of stories to spark action and to prove that if one person did it, others can too.
