Lawrence Tijjani: A Journey of Resilience and Empowerment
"Lawrence Tijjani's story is a testament to the human spirit's unyielding strength."
My journey wasn’t smooth from the start. In fact, it was marked by setbacks, like failing most of my GCSEs, but I refused to let those moments define me.
I chose to persevere.
At 17, I was diagnosed with Idiopathic Epilepsy, and while this presented its own challenges, I worked hard and began to excel in further education. Over the next decade, I built a successful career in teaching, eventually earning a senior leadership role. However, life had another challenge waiting.
A severe epileptic attack changed everything for me. It forced me to step away from teaching and focus on relearning basic life skills, like walking. This was one of the hardest periods of my life, but I promised myself that if I could no longer give my all to the young people I taught, it was time to find a new path. That’s when Happy 2 Host Education was born—a professional development and creative agency for schools and colleges. In starting this, I became first Black-owned Google Professional Development Partner in the UK and Europe,
My passion for empowering young people took on new life—what started as a personal recovery blog eventually evolved into Just A Guy CIC, a social enterprise dedicated to creating positive change.
This platform also marked the beginning of my journey as an international speaker. I soon discovered how deeply my personal challenges and triumphs resonated with audiences around the world. I even turned my story into the documentary From Pain to Purpose, which allowed me to reach even more people with my message.
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As an international speaker, I’ve had the privilege of addressing audiences in the UK, Australia, and Qatar. I’ve partnered with prestigious organisations such as NatWest, Google, Google for Education, Alchemmy, and numerous schools and colleges across the UK.
But my sessions are more than just talks—I aim to create transformative experiences that leave a lasting impact.
I focus on themes like resilience, overcoming setbacks, and personal growth, and I’m driven by the opportunity to connect with diverse audiences, no matter their background.
At the core of my message is a reminder of our shared humanity and the incredible strength we all have to rise above life’s challenges.
