@objectives....
Nice analysis you did on my epistle.... THANKS blushes, LOL

I'm waiting for part 2 of yours........
what was the economic reality of the community when you got there?

@ abbaapple
quite an age!

sbabimbola:
@objectives,

Nice analysis you did on my epistle.
THANKS, blushes, LOL

LOL, your sense of humor though

I'm waiting for part 2 of yours........

what was the economic reality of the community when you got there?

Part II should be ready a.s.a.p, ,

Economic reality?? I'll say, 4, on a scale of ten, the fortunate elite, though available, did not give a damn about the rest of the lot, save for stipends thrown around during elections.

Part II

We arrived the lodge and there was the usual exchange of pleasantries, as old and new introduced themselves and tried to familiarize with those under same place of primary assignment, in a matter of minutes, I was already hearing things about my supposed ppa,

Aaah, don't even bother prep'ing for lessons, those ones? very dull children, SSIII students don't know common pythagoras theorem,

They even sit on the ground when teachers are taking lessons,

and when they fall sick, they just lie on the veranda or even under their lockers

That's how they are here o, even their own people don't care, so don't disturb yourself, whether you go to school or not, the students already have a bad foundation, so what's the point, just serve je je je and go back to your state, don't kill yourself for them o"

I didn't know how to digest all that I just heard, they must be exaggerating I thought, surely can't be that bad, so I thought, I arrived the school the next morning and of course, they were wrong, it wasn't as bad as they had described, it was worse,

In virtually half the classes in the school, the students sat on the floor, no chairs,

No proper health-care plan in place to at least look after the children,

Teachers used the dialect to teach and still tell the students to not speak anything outside english language, before the gods and the council of elders, is that kind of thing fair??

Majority looked unkept, coming to school everyday just so they don't get flogged for not coming, that seemed to be the only reason they wanted to be there, some of these students were already married, pregnant and still coming to school, to do what They came, slept during classes with reckless abandon and at the end of school hours someone, pro'ly the man they'v been married off to drives down with an okada to come pick them,


I have never felt so bitter,

Was I going to spend 11months of my life in that community and not identify with their problems??

Right on my way home after school hours, with a totally broken-spirit, I decided to devote myself and service year to leaving the school in a better condition than I met it.

From that very moment, I knew my service year was going to be a rough, frustrating and psychologically draining one, the die was cast,

I approached the school management, explained to them the problems I identified with and some projects I felt were necessities,

"Oh good, kofa we are happy zat you wa kwonsand"

They showed appreciation and thanked me,

"But kai, we cannot take you to these people, zey zont lisen to us, zey will say we want to use kofa to collect money"

[I had asked questions from some friends I made in the community about people they felt could help, and I was able to get names of a good number of persons]

"And the school does not have money walai, Govt has not been sending anything"

"Even the teachers cannot contribute because no salary"

One would understand that Government funds and salaries is a reality to an extent, but not taking me to those who could help drained me psychologically as I got the impression that they did not want to associate themselves with a cause they didnt believe in, it was clear, they thought I wasn't genuine, and as such the whole thing meant very little to them,

It was painful, but I wasn't going to drop the whole idea just yet, if anything, I had to at least touch them so well, they'd have real reason to give well meaning strangers the benefit of the doubt,

I spoke with lots of people, explaining to them the importance of what I was doing and how all the advice they could render was going to be significant,

Many felt i was just being ridiculous if I actually wanted to do all those things for people I was meeting for the first time, I drew up proposals for the remaining few, all negative

At that point, the burden became stronger, only surpassed by daily disappointments from those who promised to help,

It was bad, really bad, daily headaches became my allies, sleep evaded me as I thought of different reasons to keep going, it seemed to me like I was a madman, reaching for the impossible, but If identifying with peoples problems and looking for possible solutions was insanity, then I was ready to lose my sanity,

I decided to seek the school's approval for a land where they felt was going to be okay for a clinic, and to my surprise, they obliged, saying anytime I was ready, work could commence on the land, apparently, they did not expect things to get that far,

Round and round I went, to the market, shop to shop, house to house, gathering to gathering, speaking to indigenes about the whole idea, with the little that was realised, the land was excavated and foundation laid, that in my books, was big progress,

I took pictures of all that was done, kept going and visited more houses, believing there was more positives down the road,

The engineer who volunteered to give his services for free, advised that I revisit a particular educationist whom he was certain could help, I took his advice and checked on [Him], leaving pictures behind, weeks passed, months passed, time was running thin

After 4months or so, I decided I was going to try again, re-visit all that disappointed, at that point, we had gathered some money to raise the building to the lintel level,

I started with the school management, explained to them that they could still do something however bad they felt things were, They already started giving me the benefit of the doubt as they' saw I meant every word I said to them when I arrived, they could no longer distance themselves from what was going on, they eventually gave their words and made a surprising contribution,

The Educationist eventually responded, asked how far I had gone and told me to see him the next day, went there and he took me to his friend who advised that they do something about it, The following day, they surprised me and promised to ensure that work was completed in a weeks time.

And so it was, that the school now had a clinic of their own, medically equipped and drugs donated by people as well,

And everyother thing followed,

Chairs for the students,
Skill acquisition on home-made soap,
Sensitization on first aid and hygiene,
Sign boards for the school and my host community,
Free lessons in preparation for external exams,
Etc...

The deep sense of fulfillment I feel each time thoughts of service year arise, and I recall the big grin on the students faces when they sat on those chairs, When the clinic was officially opened,

When Indigenes and the teachers call to say thank you,

It just feels good.

The End

As a trained educationists........ let me roll it up for you @objectives

Roll it up!
Roll it up!!
Roll it up and let it go!!!
1
2
3
4
5
Objective keep it up......

I love your giant strides.

Somehow, when I think of people like you being in this same country of ours, I can't but say there is hope for our country.

you won't believe that most people I went to kept on asking me what I'd gain from the projects.....

and I'd say 'just to help the less privileges'

The man will say" OK, but there's nothing I can do........."

I almost gave up..........

Thank God for the fact that when there is will there are 1m ways.

sbabimbola:
As a trained educationist........ let me roll it up for you @objectives

Roll it up!
Roll it up!!
Roll it up and let it go!!!
1
2
3
4
5
Objectives keep it up......

I love your giant strides.

Somehow, when I think of people like you being in this same country of ours, I can't but say there is hope for our country.

Lol, sorry I had to be offline for a while. I feel encouraged.

Those who want a better Nigeria are like 1kobo in N500, vested interests and widespread negligence continue to keep us in the dark.

sbabimbola:
you won't believe that most people I went to kept on asking me what I'd gain from the projects.....
and I'd say 'just to help the less privileged'

The man will say" OK, but there's nothing I can do........."

I almost gave up..........

Thank God for the fact that when there is will there are 1m ways.

The situation in the country is so bad anyone who sets out to selflessly look out for others is seen as one with hidden motives, so if there's nothing to gain, attention shouldn't be given to ailing areas in the society??

Its sad really.

sbabimbola:
@ abbaapple

quite an age!

Sure! Just waiting for d good news! Hw u doing dear?

OK o........ we dey wait patiently

Dis house is so quite! Great news ahead! 1 love.