Have you ever heard somewhere called “Awowo Community” before? Most likely, you haven’t
But, have you ever heard about the phrase, ‘what if…?’
When you hear that phrase, what comes to mind? There could be several thoughts and it can lead to many conclusions.
At Prikkle Academy, it is one of the phrases we use to slice limitations, to break barriers and to take action towards what looks like the impossible.
In 2016, our team decided that we will take the phenomenal thoughts and different development approach of Prikkle Academy to as many grassroots communities as possible.
We are on a simple mission – to inspire community people to use their gifts, skills and assets to empower themselves through Education.
The New Journey at Awowo Community.
We just hit another milestone that you need to hear about.
From some of our ‘what ifs’, we got into a ‘why not’
We asked ourselves in 2015, ‘what if we can bring an ancient form of education in a new way to children, youths adults in African communities?’ Can it help them to easily translate their skills, knowledge and wisdom into tangible social solutions?
Another one is, ‘What if Prikkle Academy will not have to always be in the search of new communities to work in, but strategically attract people, and communities that fit our deployment criteria?’
In 3 years, we have attracted a number of people and communities that deeply resonate with our work and can’t wait to have our team in their community.
At Prikkle Academy, we answer with, ‘Why not? Let’s get started!’
We have answered with the sentences above in two communities – Mbagishi (in Vandeikiya LGA, Benue State) and Afon (in Asa LGA, Kwara State). We have shared our results in 5 other states.
These two locations mentioned above are located in the North Central geopolitical zone of Nigeria.
In February 2019 – Prikkle Academy said an emphatic ‘Why not? Let’s get started!’ to a new community called Awowo, in Ewekoro LGA, Ogun State.
This community makes it the first state in the South-West region of Nigeria where we have started deploying our programs.
How Did Prikkle Academy Find Awowo Community, Ewekoro LGA, Ogun State?
One of the core values and keywords at Prikkle Academy is the community (and we sometimes use collaboration).
At Prikkle Academy, we have an open secret – we strategically join (yes, live in) and engage the communities (for example, groups, associations) where the people we want to attract belong to.
We have heard, seen and experienced the great, yet little-known power of communities. Our team has literarily touched wealth and wisdom locked up in the places that people often describe as ‘poor’.
From the interaction, we get to meet and greet passionate people, from different local communities that have been desiring a way to turn around the state of their community.
We share what we see, we talk about the changes that communities are experiencing and we tell the stories of how people become empowered just by discovering their own gifts and putting it into use.
As we share these stories online, from one person to another, at conferences and in small groups, further interaction and new connections come through.
Our Community Champion.
From one of such interactions, we met a young, ambitious and forward-thinking man – Jotham Ajibade. He runs IBuildNigeria.
Jotham doesn’t talk about farming because he loves it, he practices it and he desires to use this single passion to empower as many children and youths as possible across the world.
He graciously invited our team into the community, took us to the key community stakeholders to learn more about the history and their heartfelt desire for their community.
Finally, we found a sweet spot of connection between what Prikkle Academy stands for and what the community is desiring.
Our team realized, based on all the initial conversations that Awowo Community has most of the resources, individual gifts and assets required to power their own development.
The journey has begun…
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