Helen Ogbu

But then when I came to Ireland, I actually didn't think about fostering.

I was actually contacted by the Roscommon Social Services to help organise a kind of a recruitment drive amongst migrants.

And then they just...

told me, well, I don't think we should organise something.

I think we should actually recruit you.

And that was how I got into fostering.

And I would tell you, it's something like one of the things that I've done in life that, you know, I feel so honoured, so privileged and, you know, blessed to have done.

Thank you so much, David.

Well, I would say politics wasn't what I saw myself getting into.

I've always been someone who is passionate about community.

I call my life a life of community, someone who is passionate about social change.

So I've always been involved in social activism and community activism as well.

So that was how I got into politics.

But then Labour Party, their values, their values, you know, the core principles of equality, equity, diversity.

You can see the diversity, fairness, solidarity and justice.

That was what actually attracted me to the Labour Party.

You can see how inclusive they are, how encouraging and supportive they are.

and how their core values around equity, equality and diversity is actually evidenced.

Well, I would say that goes back to being elected as a councillor and the work I've been doing in the last, I would say, two years has actually shown to people the kind of person that I am.

My belief in community, my belief in making sure that I'm visible and actually upholding the values and the role of a public representative, which is that of listening and making sure that the issues that affect people differently