When London won the Olympic Games bid, Debo, who lived in the area, saw a chance to be part of the regeneration movement. He took out a student loan and worked hard for a degree in architecture. He says, “Every time an office, hotel or apartment block started up, I found out the developer’s name and applied for a job. I’ve made more than 250 applications for an entry-level position. After your tenth rejection, you redouble your efforts; after your 50th, you doubt yourself; after your 150th, you feel worthless. My dad is a security guard and he couldn’t understand why I didn’t have a job when I have a degree. He made me feel even more of a failure, and eventually I broke down and had to leave. I took a job as a part-time sales assistant. It’s minimum wage work, but it’s better than nothing. I still feel a lot of shame that I am a graduate and yet still effectively unemployed.”