AFM Stories, in collaboration with the UEA Nigerian Students Society, has launched the first edition of its empowerment initiative, tagged ‘The Opportunity Bridge’, to support underprivileged talents.

The event was designed to equip underrepresented students and early-career professionals with practical guidance on winning scholarships, navigating global job markets, and securing international opportunities.

Held at the lecture theatre building of the University of East Anglia (UEA), the event brought together over 70 attendees for an immersive afternoon of storytelling, knowledge-sharing, and community.

The event featured an engaging mix of speaker-led sessions, a poetry film screening, a career panel, and a fireside Q&A on global opportunities.

Founder of AFM Stories and convener of The Opportunity Bridge, Faith Moyosore Agboola, opened the event with a powerful personal story of winning both undergraduate and master’s scholarships and later securing the Arts Council England Endorsement for her work as a writer.

“Representation changes everything,” she said, highlighting how seeing people like herself succeed made her believe she could too, a belief she now wants to pass on to others.

The event also featured the screening of the “Japa” Poetry Film, written and performed by Agboola and directed by Ayoola Jolayemi.
The moving poetry film explores the emotional complexities of migration and deeply resonated with attendees, including university staff.

“This film needs to be seen by everyone

“It truly captures what international students go through.” said Emma Van Haren, student experience officer at UEA.

The interactive sessions included a career panel titled “Sponsored Job Searching, Settling, Succeeding,” featuring Temi Taiwo-Oni (Aviva), Ebinipere Fegha (Sainsbury Centre), and moderated by Seun Olagunju-Lana (The Development School Africa).

Two deep-dive talks on the Global Talent Visa — one focused on academics and research by Dr. Abass Bolaji Isiaka, and another on the creative pathway led by Faith Agboola.

The afternoon closed with a powerful Q&A session, allowing attendees to engage the speakers directly, share their aspirations, and ask for tailored advice. Attendees described the event as “life-changing,” “honest,” and “the nudge they needed to start again.”

“It was a room full of people who get your journey and hurdles — and for once, I felt seen,” said one attendee, Divine Brown. “Raw, honest conversations. The kind that says: ‘Look – I’ve done it, so you can too.’”

The Opportunity Bridge was powered by AFM Stories in collaboration with the UEA Nigerian Student Society, and supported by Kormbat Studios, who captured the event through film and photography.

Co-hosts Success Arevooso and Blessing Agbeetan energized the crowd, leading icebreakers and sparking meaningful interactions.

The response was overwhelmingly positive, from new LinkedIn connections and mentorship conversations to attendees restarting scholarship and visa applications they had once given up on.

The organizers said AFM Stories is planning to take The Opportunity Bridge to new cities, including Lagos, London, and Leicester, later this year, creating more spaces where stories become bridges to new futures.