27 Year Old Cross Riverian, Esther Eshiet Meets Queen Of England At 2015 Queen’s Young Leaders Aw‎ards

By CrossRiverWatch admin

A 27 year old Cross Riverian, Esther Eshiet, who sits on the advisory panel of the prestigious Queen’s Young Leaders Award on Monday, June 22, 2015, had the very rare privilege of a royal hand shake with her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of England at the Buckingham Palace, United Kingdom.

Esther was among other four Nigerians, Isaiah Owolabi, Kelvin Ogholi, Nkechikwu Azinge and Oladipupo Ajiroba, who won the 2015 Queen’s Young Leaders Award.

According to information on queensyoungleaders.com, the Queen’s Young Leader Award recognises and celebrates exceptional people aged 18-29 from across the Commonwealth, who are taking the lead in their communities and using their skills to transform lives. Winners of this prestigious Award receive a unique package of training, mentoring and networking, including a one-week residential program in the UK during which they will collect their Award from Her Majesty, The Queen. With this support, Award winners will be expected to continue and develop the amazing work they are already doing in their communities.

Esther is a social worker and Founder of the Afterschool Peer Mentoring Project, which aims to provide young people with the skills to gain employment during the transition between school and work. In 2010 she became a fellow of the Moremi Initiative and was made a member of the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council in 2012. Esther is also an Ashoka Innovator for the Public Fellow and was named a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum in 2014.

A media shy and quiet achiever, Esther told CrossRiverWatch, when she was contacted for interview that “I am not a public figure. I live a quiet life and I love it that way. I will suggest the focus should be on the awards and the winners.”

Also at the event were celebrity footballer David Beckham, Director of “12 Years
A Slave”, Steve McQueen and Nollywood ace actress, Stephanie Okereke Linus accompanied by her husband.

Applications to become a 2016 Queen’s Young Leader has opened since 22nd June, 2015.