Taking the first step in any activity is usually a big challenge. While you have an ideal vision and a solution to community problems, to get people to buy into the idea might be a hurdle. But when you eventually take the little step, you’ll find out that the activity wasn’t so hard anyway.
On the 8th of January, 2016 Prikkle Academy team arrived in Mbagishi Community, a settlement in Tsar, composed majorly of the Tiv people in Vandeikya Local Government of Benue State, Nigeria.
We have a long time relationship with Mr. Mgbangu, one of the sons of the community (a cordial relationship which was established 3 years earlier when our Founder, Fasoranti Damilola, was a Corp member in Benue State).
Mr. Mgbangu is our community mobilizer and his deep passion commitment for the growth of his community is what made us to consider this community for our pilot program.
The next day, he took us straight away to the 2 community chiefs who decide the affairs of the community. They welcomed Prikkle Academy cheerfully and proposed that we meet the community people to share how they can all participate in our activities.
The news went round;
At exactly 1:15 pm on Sunday 9th of January, 2016 we were at the community square to share with Mbagishi community how Prikkle Academy wants to empower them through their own asset, ingenuity, experience and education. We had 113 people in attendance. The chiefs asked for the consent of the youth, women and men of the community if they accept the initiative and they all gladly said YES!
40 people wrote their names as volunteers to be the pioneer students to explore the Asset-based Community Development and Design Thinking Approach that Prikkle Academy wanted to introduce into their community.
Some of the beautiful questions that were raised by curious community were;
- What is the academic qualification to be a participant?
Fasoranti Damilola: You don’t need any certificate. The qualification is that you are eager and curious to develop yourself, share your gifts to develop your community and you’ll be happy to see other possibilities emerge within others.
- What specific problem will Prikkle Academy solve for us?
Fasoranti Damilola: Prikkle Academy will empower you to translate your education into social solutions. We will help trigger the asset of individuals to mobilize the gifts of the community to solve her own problem. We help you see what you have that can help you to selflessly solve any of your problems in a sustainable way.
- How much do we pay to be part your Collaborative Community Project?
Fasoranti Damilola: Prikkle Academy is a non-governmental non-profit organization that runs majorly on donations, grants and goodwill of community people. Our programs are free for our participants.
The community entry into Mbagishi was awesome and a great time interacting with potential community builders and seeing the passion in the eyes if the people boosted the Prikkle Academy Team to set out to work.
