Working Mother Inspires Girls to Dig Deeper
Najiva Timothee believes in the power of mentorship. Through her nonprofit, Girls Dig Deeper, she helps girls unlock their potential and take control of their lives. Timothee, who is also a mother of four and a full-time employee at the Mercer University School of Law, has a busy life but said she will always find time to mentor “her girls.”
Timothee has lived in Macon for eight years. Her children, who range in age from 6 to 17, attend schools in Bibb County. In 2018, she read that the school district was trying to get people involved in the Mentor’s Project, a program that provides role models to middle and high school students in need of motivation and encouragement. Her interest was piqued.
“Growing up, I was involved in a youth group,” said Timothee, 43. “I leaned on those girls and our leaders so much. We are still so close today and, after all these years, I still feel the impact of the mentorship from that group.”
With a busy schedule to contend with, Timothee decided to devote one lunch hour each week to the program. She began at Ballard Hudson Middle School and visited with two sisters whose mom said they needed guidance. Soon, those girls had friends who wanted Timothee to mentor them, too. Two quickly became 12, and Timothee was provided a classroom to facilitate a weekly lunch and learn session for the girls.
“That’s when it all began to snowball,” said Timothee. “We talked about leadership, relationships, attitude issues, making good choices, all of it. My love for mentoring grew with those girls and we really, genuinely cared about each other. As our relationships blossomed, I decided I wanted to build my own program.”
Timothee established the Girls Dig Deeper Initiative in 2019. She chose that name because she wants girls to dip deep within themselves to expand their capacity, be a positive influence and take control of their lives.
Though attendance dwindled during the coronavirus pandemic, when virtual meetings were their only option, Girls Dig Deeper has grown over the years. Timothee has spent a lot of time meeting with school boards, program organizers and government officials at the Capitol, spreading the word about her program and the importance of mentorship.
The Girls Dig Deeper Initiative meets at the Rosa Jackson Recreation Center on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. In addition to those meetups, Timothee still goes into schools. She is partnered with two middle schools and two high schools and dedicates one lunch hour a week to mentoring. In addition, she has created The Winner’s Mindset Workshop leadership program, leads a weeklong summer program for girls and mentors incarcerated girls at the Macon Youth Detention Center through the prison ministry program at her church.
“I thank God for my husband, who is very supportive and knows my vision,” said Timothee. “He’s my partner, so whenever I’m with my girls, he’s with our kids. We’re all so busy, but we can all find time to carve out for others. I don’t exhaust myself or let my mentoring interrupt family time. I schedule my time with the girls around work and family. I fit it in and make it happen.”
The effort it takes to juggle everything is worth it, said Timothee.
“These girls feel loved, valued and cared about. That’s all I ever wanted. There’s structure to our time together, but there’s also fun. They feel safe, they know they belong, and I absolutely love that.”
As the Girls Dig Deeper Initiative heads into its eighth year, Timothee said she hopes it continues to grow.
“The goal is to have our own space or building one day,” she said. “I also want to do more with families and bring parents into the room. We held money management and mental health workshops and opened them to mothers and daughters. It was wonderful to have them in the room together.”
Timothee keeps in touch with her girls after they graduate.
“I hope they’ll continue to keep me updated about their lives, and I hope this experience will encourage them to mentor the next generation of young girls and teach them to dig deep.”