Otherish Support

Otherish Support: Why Advocacy Is Never a Solo Journey

Advocacy is powerful but it is never a solo journey. This week at the Centre for Youths Integrated Development, I had the privilege of teaching young leaders about the concept of Otherish Support using the #VisionBalloonExercise. Each participant wrote the leadership traits they aspire to embody on a balloon and tried to keep it from touching the ground.

It didn’t take long for a vital lesson to emerge: you cannot keep everything in the air alone.

The same is true for advocacy. While you are working to lift your vision and make your mark, others are flying their balloons too. Real progress happens when we learn to hold each other’s dreams alongside our own, ensuring every vision has the space and support to soar.

I also shared a personal truth with the young leaders:

“Yes, I am a missionary wife today, but I carried a vision long before marriage. Purpose does not disappear when life changes; it evolves”

Supporting others doesn’t mean abandoning yourself. In fact, when we hold each other’s balloons, everyone rises higher; without losing sight of our own dreams.

Otherish Support is about lifting others while still honoring your own purpose. It is about creating an environment where collective growth and personal ambition work hand in hand.

So, whether you are a young leader, a budding advocate, or simply someone passionate about making a difference—remember this: help others rise, but never throw away yourself.  Together, every dream has a better chance to soar.

#YoungLeaders #Advocacy #Purpose #Leadership #Impact #VisionBalloonExercise #YouthLeadershipTraining

About The Author

Bunmi Onilude is a missionary wife, advocate, and mentor passionate about youth leadership and community transformation. With years of experience empowering young people, she leads training sessions, workshops, and initiatives that equip the next generation to pursue purpose-driven lives while supporting others. Through practical exercises like the