Patrick Onyekachi Abanonu

MA International Relations

My name is Patrick Onyekachi Abanonu, and I am a Master's student in International Relations at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. I am from the Igbo tribe of Nigeria. My parents' last child, I was born on July 4th in the early 1990s.

Growing up, I used to think a lot about the world and read books on philosophy, physics, politics, mediaeval architecture, and paintings. This subject piqued my interest, and I decided to pursue a degree in Philosophy. The independence of being self-sufficient at university pushed me to improve my interpersonal skills.

Following graduation, I worked as a customer service representative for a Nigerian telecommunications firm. I gained soft skills and developed an interest in photography while working at this job. I love the thrill of capturing memories and freezing time.

After working for a while, I decided to pursue a master’s program in the United Kingdom as it is a multicultural country and I had interest in International Relations.

I enjoy volunteering and networking with people of different background both professionally and personally,

In the future, I hope to take advantage of the opportunities that my master's degree will provide, particularly in the areas of community service, policy, education, and current events.

My research essay is on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly on goal two (2) Zero Hunger. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals that represent an urgent call to action for all countries.

Goal 2 aims to achieve Zero Hunger by the year 2030. The mission is to “End Hunger, achieve food security, improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”. The year 2030 is quickly approaching, and the goal remains unattainable. Individuals, private companies, institutions, the government, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) must all work together to achieve this goal.

According to UN research, about 690 million people go to bed hungry and 815 million people are undernourished. Food waste continues to be a concern around the world, even as companies develop ways to reduce it. My work on the bootcamp reflects these hunger-related problems as well as the need to reduce food waste.

As an International Relations student with exposure to these global issues, as well as a photography enthusiast in the boot camp, I used digital media (photography) to help communicate a visual representation of the need to end hunger and reduce food waste in society.

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