Empowering a community

Empowering a community is one of my passions because the rewards are can be felt for very many generations.

It takes many intricate things to drive a community especially if you involve them in the process. Usually, the community has ready solutions if only someone listens to them.

So, instead of looking at a community from the outside and approach them with what you believe are the ready solutions for their needs may backfire immediately you open your mouth and make suggestions.

I come from a very simple community. They have very any shared values. Like any other community, there are good and bad elements. There are the development-conscious and those who are on the opposite end whose job is to criticize rather than provide solutions.

One of the ways to empower a community is through knowledge. Knowledge can be passed on at all levels among peers and also from the older folks, teachers, elders and visionary leaders.

In my community, teachers are respected and adored. My mom and dad were teachers so I can authoritatively talk about their influence.

While growing up, whenever a teacher visited your home/house, he/she was an authoritative figure and you immediately stood at attention with your hands behind your back and appropriately addressed them. These motions were closely watched by your parents.

Let us talk about empowering a community through knowledge. As simple as it sounds, knowledge is power. Generational passage of stories and wisdom is one of the ways to pass knowledge. Another is through teachers who encourage young people to read.

Within the community, there are regular meetings between the administrators and the people under their jurisdiction. At such meetings, valuable information is shared.

For example, if there is an outbreak of some sort, these meetings are an avenue to address such an issue either by bringing in an expert to talk to the community - usually in their own ethnic language - about the measures which should be taken to curb the vice. I remember when there was a cholera outbreak and such forum was used to spread a hygienic message.

The radio is a powerful tool of communication. My parents were ardent listeners of the radio which perhaps informs about my love for communication and the radio. I remember listening to music from the radio which urged people to wake u p and go build the nation.

Therefore, your contribution to a community is not limited to what you perceive. It could take something so small to change so many things. What immediately comes to mind is the power of reading which can be made possible by starting a community library! You don't need a posh setting to do this. One individual set up a small library in a shanty location and the effect was overwhelming.

This brings me back to an idea which has been at the back of my mind for a few years now. It is about starting a community center to honor my late mom and dad whose enormous contribution to the community had a great impact in my life.

My ancestral home is near a school where I went as a kid. Only a fence separates us from the school. The ground on which the school is built was donated by my grandfather who valued education. Many people have gone through this school which continues to nurture the lives of many future leaders.

This school has some basic needs one of which is a simple library. A library which eventually can be accessed by the community.

An idea of starting a community center came up when I was talking to a friend of mine who had a familiar background as a kid. She overcame a hard family situation to proceed to the local university where she even had a harder time but emerged victorious. "I know what some of these children go through so if ever you start a community project, count me in," she said.

What do I have in mind? A community center which has the input of the locals. Nothing fancy but the bigger picture is just a meeting place where the local community can come and share ideas as well as exchange the valuable gifts of knowledge to ensure a generation is empowered.

Here are some of the ideas. How about a simple feeding program for some of the kids at this school who may not have regular meals? An open kitchen where basic food is donated by the community. The cooking is done by very trusted members of the community. At lunch time, needy kids cross the fence to come and eat a simple meal which may be just porridge, maize and beans, potatoes, cassava.

At the end of the quick meal, they clean up the utensils and rush back to school. Simple eh?

How about a small library where people hungry for knowledge can come and borrow books? Suppose they have volunteers to run this library with books donated by willing individuals? Obviously, the community would suggest some of the books they need at the library. As a bonus, we could have volunteer teachers or some students to help with homework after school.

At this community center, we could also have some simple set up where people from the community can learn skills such as knitting, effective farming skills, computer skills or any other related skills. The bigger picture is that some of the basic skills could be included. So, we can even have a team which can do photography or videos.

At the community center, there could also be a big screen where the community can watch some of their favorite topics/movies. For those who love sports, it would be possible to screen a few live matches from their popular teams.

How about a donation of an old tractor by someone who does not need it? Why a tractor? Simply because it can do so many things besides the farm stuff. This tractor would be maintained by someone within the community and will pay for itself. With simple attachments, such a tractor is a valuable asset to the community.

In totality, the model of such a community project can be replicated in many other areas within the country without the necessity of approaching 'leaders' with a begging bowl each time election comes around. Let's talk if this is an idea you would like to be a part of.

One key issue in such a set up would be security. My honest opinion is that the community will police what belongs to them and with some basic structures, they will be vigilant and guard what belongs and benefits them.