Where Community Service Got Me

Written by Muhammad Idris
MY ADVISE TO THE PASSED OUT CORPS MEMBERS.
2 years after i passed out, i didn't get a job but instead, i used the period to be doing community services and volunteerism. Trust me when i said, through this venture, u will meet people, contacts as long as u have  genuine objectives and a lot depends on your priority. My priority was human right and humanitarian (IDP, hunger&poverty).
HOW IT HAPPENED?
The first month after my POP, I browsed about Bring Back Our Girls, got their number and joined their meetings and peaceful demonstrations. I was opportuned to join the team members who led the parents of the chibok girls to to presidential villa to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari.
One day in BBOG meeting, I saw Amnesty International who paid a courtesy visit, before then, I could only see them on CNN and ALJAZEERA but I never knew they were in Nigeria untill then.
I joined them; went places and was recognized and respected due to my affiliation with them (brand name). At the same period, I met a Doctor (George) among the volunteers who then invited me to join his medical outreach to an IDP camp (which was my first time)
The outrach was successful and I played an important role in its success. He then linked me to another International NGO (Pro health International) which took me across few states to deliver food and medical care free of charge (I pay my transport fare).
From there I got another person who gave me his contact and I got into a whatsap group filled other opportunities.

One day, I saw a broadcast from LIVEBRIDGE FOUNDATION requesting for volunteers for an IDP camp outreach. My place was far from the camp but guess what, I was the first person among the volunteers to reach the camp ( first impression matters), in addition to that I cordinated some of the activities and language translation and the owner of the FOUNDATION got inpressed and chatted me up for another event.
Next, she invited me to join another outreach to a community where they kill twins and triplets where I only did record keeping, story writing and BMI for the malnourished kids. I wrote the story on nairaland.com and made front page for the first time with 30k views in one day.

From there, A friend, Austin who I was opportuned to meet through Amnesty international asked me to get him a community that lacks water, good health care and education. I made some calls and got a place and went for the adventure to a community called KUCHIDNA (one of my success stories, detailed in another article). Before I came, they drink from mud water but courtesy of Austin (Basic rights watch) and LIVEBRIDGE FOUNDATION gave them borehole water, medical supplies and the rest and till today me and the community members, their king  are Padddy and they keep calling me.

One day, I received another call from a friend Paul to help him with a community across Nigeria that lacks good educational facilities. I helped him got one in Niger and this wekend, they will travel to go and commission it courtsey of livebridge and swiss embassy.

In fact I am still counting how many impact I have done within this 2 years of lack of job which I wouldn’t have had time to do if I were to be doing a regular or time demanding job at the time. But at the end, I now got job but the happiness, the experience, the contacts etc the volunteersim has given me will never be taking back and I will go back again and do it over and over if I had to.

IT SHAPED MY LIFE AND CAREER, Give me VALUE that could be seen anywhere I go.
Even in my workplace, I still dedicate my free weekends for voluntary activities.
And trust me when I say you will progress fast in life when u give to the society without asking for anything in return.
But make sure you add value and be passionate to any organization you volunteer for. This is just a summary.
I said I should write this down this morning.

Muhammad Idris (tetengi)

Attached is the documenatry of my participation in AI between (2016 -2017).

Credit:
Amnesty International
Austin chinonye
Festus Billion
Obiora Okafor
George
Nebo collins
Purpose
Preye
Margaret
Tosin
Dortun