As Nigerians, we might not use the term "volunteering" often, but we practice the concept a lot since we understand the importance of looking out for one another. We have achieved a lot from working together, combining efforts and resources, which didn't begin today. In one of the historical movies I saw recently, our ancestors were able to conquer their oppressors by coming together to wage war, and many community foundations were built on that.
The act of volunteering can definitely be traced back to ancient times; our forefathers were able to build strong communities through volunteering, and I believe it's one of the best ways of giving back to society regardless of your gender, age, and status.
From my experience as a Nigerian, I think almost everyone has been involved in volunteering at a time even though we don't see it that way. There are situations that warrant us to step out to join other members of our community to achieve something. It can be about fixing the community's problem, and the very common one is tackling insecurity.
I grew up seeing men volunteer to keep their loved ones safe, and it's one of those things that made me realize the importance of being part of a community. Aside from our neighbors being the first responders to us during an emergency, the role we play in our various communities also determines how much support we will get from them on bad days.
I remembered a particular time when an ex-NEPA official was robbed in my neighborhood by some petty thieves. People trooped out in numbers to stop the robbery despite the risk involved, all because of the man's great contribution to the community. We always had electricity issues, but this man singlehandedly took the matter up until it was resolved, and he reaped the reward in the least expected way.
In response to the Hive Learner's prompt, I am a regular when it comes to volunteering because I know the importance of building or being part of a strong community.
Just last week, I noticed a place on my street where people are gradually turning to a refuse ground. A particular house burns there; they refuse to remove it, and people are taking that opportunity to dump theirs there. The place is partially messed up, and dirt is now scattered on the street because the wind moves it around.
I told some guys on my street about it, and we agreed to deal with it but only two people showed up so we did the little we could. The next day, I was surprised to see some women taking it up and I helped a bit before going out in search of my daily 2k.
It's not my first time volunteering, and doing it whenever I can makes me happy; it's a good thing seeing changes I influenced or was part of within the community. You might invite me to a birthday and I won't show up, but when it comes to something community-related, I will be there because the wellness of the community I live in will always reflect on me.
I have learned several lessons from volunteering, and they have helped me understand life and humans better. I have built connections, resilience, empathy, and others; every experience with volunteering gives me something tangible in return. Additionally, I can't tell when next I will be volunteering because I don't fix a date for it. I see what needs to be done and get involved once I have the time and resources to do so.
In conclusion, volunteering is really a good thing, and I encourage people to be part of it whenever they can. Not everything is about money; the experiences sometimes are invaluable, and there is a lot we can achieve personally from volunteering. Do it without seeking rewards and watch how the reward will come knocking on your door someday.
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