I wanted to apply for a programme where i can come to nigeria and work with street children and / or hiv orphans.
And it seems that all the organizations want to send me to west side of nijia, although i would love nothing more than to come to the east - igbo part, so that meanwhile i can learn that wonderful language!

Is it politically really that unstable?

Thnx for your help!

Good luck

No Igbo part of Nigeria is dangerous for charity work. Infact no part of Nigeria is too dangerous for charity work. You have to understand the naija politics to know why someone would tell you that working in the Igboland is dangerous. That person might have also told you that his own state, local government, or town is safest for charity work, but you go figure!

@nijaking 1

It was not somebofy from nigeria who told me that, it is a german organsation who told me that! they say they will not send me to an igbo speaking place---for political reasons

@origina9ja

thanks, maybe ill be needing that

Misinformation of highest order! The organization must have woken up from a terrible nightmare.

@ e-man

what do you mean by that

Udode:

@nijaking 1

It was not somebofy from nigeria who told me that, it is a german organsation who told me that! they say they will not send me to an igbo speaking place---[b]for political reasons[/b]f

@origina9ja

thanks, maybe ill be needing that

intresting !.Did you ask them the so called political reasons?Care to share.

I havent asked, but they wrote me:

"Leider können wir Dich nicht im Osten platzieren, wo Igbo gesprochen wird, da die Sicherheitslage dort zu kritisch ist."

Which means as much as unfortunately we can not place you in the east, where ibgo is spoken due to the critical security situation. Maybe she is relating it to white people who go there,,,or i don't know. but i havent asked back, since they were already stating that they will not send me there

and where did they say is safe? lol
critical security situation three big words
BTW your guy is an igbo guy,have you discussed this with him?

No I have not told him yet, i only found out today. I mean he just told me that i dont need to go with organisation, but that i can go there by myself, maybe stay with his family and try to work on a charity basis, but i am not really sure about that. i mean i have never been to nigeria b4 and to go and stay with his family without having been there with him b4 is a bit strange isnt it? i dont know, maybe im just being silly, and this would all not be a problem.

Udode:

@nijaking 1

It was not somebofy from nigeria who told me that, it is a german organsation who told me that! they say they will not send me to an igbo speaking place---for political reasons

I'm happy you did not get your information from Nigerians directly. If your info. comes from your government intelligence agency, then its understandable. The western intelligence on Africa is often skewed to say the least.

Remember, Nelson Madela was just taken off the terrorist watch list 2 days ago.

I wish you luck on your mission, no matter where you chose. Be safe!

Udode:

No I have not told him yet, i only found out today. I mean he just told me that i don't need to go with organisation, but that i can go there by myself, maybe stay with his family and try to work on a charity basis, but i am not really sure about that. i mean i have never been to nigeria before and to go and stay with his family without having been there with him before is a bit strange isnt it? i don't know, maybe im just being silly, and this would all not be a problem.

hmmn dear me,whatever just be wise and careful.i dont know what to say ooooo but igboland is not dangerous.

i dont know either

@ najiaking
I know that european countries are always like that, tooo scared of things and places / people they don't know. All i know is that one month ago i have been to kinshasa, which is also considered a dangerous place to bee, and it was great. Of course it is a poor town and of course there are dangerous spots to be, but hey, other people also live there and to me this is nothing to be afraid of. In my opinion this is all so silly, if you can only go do charity work in safe places, where is the point, i mean not that in other parts of nigeria they could not need people for help, but isnt it true that those places where even charity organisations are scared to go, could profit most of the help?!?

@Udobe
Thank you, you make a wonderful and smart point.

its true right? what would you recommend me to do now? to go to igbo-part on my own? My boyfriend comes from anambra state!

Hmmm. . . .Personally I wouldn't recommend you going to Nigeria for Charity work.

There are better places in Africa where your efforts will be met with more appreciation.

Ghana is a lot more stable, as are Mali, Senegal etc.

how come you think that charity work is not appreciated in nigeria? can u explain?

@Udobe
Points you must know.
1. Any time you leave your natural environment there is always some degree of danger- I live in NYC, and there're some areas I don't visit.
2. Your boyfriend and myself may be biased because we obviously have Igbo ancestors.
3. Given #1, and #2, I would say follow your heart, but be guided by brain.
4. Your boyfriend would likely give you better direction than anybody out there, maybe he can come with you.
5. Follow basic international safety travel plans, immunizations, and protocols.
6. Get more information from your charity organization and places your services may be mostly needed.
7. Remember self preservation!!!

Good luck

Points you must know.
1. Any time you leave your natural environment there is always some degree of danger- I live in NYC, and there're some areas I don't visit. I know that, i have been in nyc too (nice place by the way^). I was there on september 11 (at the age of 15, by myself, living in a host family. --- what did i learn. that time, everybody wanted me to come home - they said it was too dangerous. but since i saw that my hostfamily still felt safe, i could trust them. bcs if it would really have been dangerous, they too would have gone away, to canada or i dont know where. Somehow you just have to trust that people who live in a place where you are a foreigner, know that place better than you do.

2. Your boyfriend and myself may be biased because we obviously have Igbo ancestors. ? i dont understand what you mean by that?

3. Given #1, and #2, I would say follow your heart, but be guided by brain. Good advice! thnx!

4. Your boyfriend would likely give you better direction than anybody out there, maybe he can come with you. of course he could come with me, but it would not be the same, i want to do this by myself, if i go to nigeria with him, it will turn more into a family visit than anything else, and that is still to come anyway!

5. Follow basic international safety travel plans, immunizations, and protocols. Basic rules of course. I mean i would surely check that there is somebody there to show me how it works (all the cultural differences are not to be taken easy). but i think i can adapt very well into any other mentality, the only thing i cant is change my colour :-)

6. Get more information from your charity organization and places your services may be mostly needed. im just getting startd, i still hope i will find an organization that will help me go to igbo part, i mean there must be one i hope!

7. Remember self preservation!!! amen :-)

naijaking1:

@Udobe
Points you must know.
1. Any time you leave your natural environment there is always some degree of danger- I live in NYC, and there're some areas I don't visit.
2. Your boyfriend and myself may be biased because we obviously have Igbo ancestors.
3. Given #1, and #2, I would say follow your heart, but be guided by brain.
4. Your boyfriend would likely give you better direction than anybody out there, maybe he can come with you.
5. Follow basic international safety travel plans, immunizations, and protocols.
6. Get more information from your charity organization and places your services may be mostly needed.
7. Remember self preservation!!!
Good luck

Good advice
Go where your heart leads you.
There is always good in doing good!
There are also so many decent people at the grassroots
You will be pleasantly surprised

I have a friend who is presently volunteering in the Niger Delta
(Areas I will not venture to go)
He has not been kidnapped or molested

We all have our own biases
Typical of the unknown
But use your head, whereever you go

@ Udode, I think they are just looking at the East and the South South through the same scope.

The Niger Delta at present is the most dangerous place in Nigeria at the moment, and is geographically at the doorstep of the East. Infact the East accounts for some of the Niger Delta.

So the information is partially correct.

However generally the East is not really dangerous even for a foreigner.

so like what town / area could you recommend?

My suggestion. Do not take my word for it.

I do not live in Nigeria.

But from what I am aware of; Calabar, Owerri, Enugu, Uyo, Should be quite Safe.

and where would you go?

Personally I would go to Uyo, Calabar

dblock has a point- they must be referring to the Niger Delta. Thats where people are getting kidnapped.




The US based Anambra medical mission has been doing this kind of work for some years now, I think.

http://www.anambrausa.org/profile/images/medicalmission.pdf

I've been looking for a western counterpart, without success.

@tpia

Thank you sooo much for this link, i just sent an e mail to the responsible person there and i really hope that
they will give me the opportunity to go there!

How did you know about this mission?

Udode:

@tpia

Thank you sooo much for this link, i just sent an e mail to the responsible person there and i really hope that
they will give me the opportunity to go there!

How did you know about this mission?

You're welcome.

I think I must have read about it on one of the Nigerian sites. I really don't remember how I found out about it, but thats the most likely explanation. Either that or someone sent me the link.

I'm not from Anambra, in case you were wondering. But I'm very interested in this kind of work as well. Though for now my main membership is in Oxfam and a couple of other organizations not limited to Nigeria alone.

Can you tell me more about it? its not that im limited to anambra state you know, id just like to go somewhere where they speek igbo. but if i happen to go somewhere else, is also good for me!

Udode

Fact: The South eastern part of Nigeria is comparising of five states: Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Imo, and Ebonyi.

All the States listed above are as peaceful and stable as peace can be. There are so many foreign NGOs working in these area for years with no incidence of molestation.

It is also true that the Niger Delta which comprises States like Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Ondo are close to the eastern states, but the activities of militants in ND areas are only limited to creeks of the ND States.

Let your head guide you and if you questions, send me a mail and I will give you directions and guideance

Nothing can stop you unless you want to stop

Go ahead and achieve what you dream to

Never imagin any obstacle ahead of you

Udode:

Can you tell me more about it? its not that im limited to anambra state you know, id just like to go somewhere where they speek igbo. but if i happen to go somewhere else, is also good for me!

Do you mean the link I posted?

I dont really know much either.  I found it very interesting and thought there would be a comparable organization in western Nigeria, but it looks like there isnt. Though there are orphanages and the like, which are mainly locally based.

Here's another one I found

http://www.edowomen.org/index.html

I dont have any practical hands on experience with any of these organizations though.

For now I just give the ones which I'm a member of, a little financial support.