• Itsekiri NextGen Project: Session 31 Report
• Topic: Charity Day
• Date: September 17, 2023
• Volunteers Present: 5
• Total Number of Attendees: 87
• Timings: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
• Venue: Former Caravan 4, Aja-Pessu (Pessu Town), Warri
• Resource Person: Uwala Tedeye

Summary:

The session was dedicated to commemorating World Charity Day, which traditionally falls on the 5th of September but was celebrated on September 17th due to prior commitments. The gathering served as a heartfelt tribute to the spirit of charity.

Session Delivery:

Participants arrived at the session with great anticipation, knowing that it was Charity Day with a special focus on their role in charitable activities. The session commenced with a sense of purpose as everyone settled down for the opening prayers, led by Laju Faulkner, followed by the spirited rendition of the Itsekiri anthem.

Emmanuel Egbe conducted a quick review of the previous session, and then the coordinator took the stage to guide the session.

The coordinator initiated the session by inviting participants to share their definitions of charity. Impressively, they provided thoughtful answers, with some describing charity as an expression of love, showing kindness to people and giving to those in need.

Participants were also asked to recount instances where they had engaged in charitable acts, and their responses included:

• Assisting an elderly woman in fetching water due to her physical limitations.
• Helping a grandmother with various chores.
• Sharing their food with others in need.

It was heartening to discover that they possessed a clear understanding of the concept of charity.

The coordinator emphasized that charity encompasses not only giving but giving to those in need, and it can take various forms, such as:

• Monetary donations.
• Providing clothing and footwear.
• Distributing food.
• Volunteering time and effort.

The coordinator stressed that acts of giving may cost the giver relatively little but can have a profound impact on the recipients, bringing joy and smiles to their faces.

The session delved into examples of notable individuals engaged in charity work, including:

• Mother Teresa of Calcutta, renowned for her unwavering dedication to serving the poor, destitute, and sick until her passing. The United Nations even selected her death date to commemorate World Charity Day.
• Kanu Nwankwo, a Nigerian football legend, established the Kanu Heart Foundation to send underprivileged children with heart-related illnesses abroad for treatment.
• Itsekiri NextGen, with its devoted team of volunteers, was celebrated for their selfless service to the children of Pessu community and its surroundings, reflecting a passionate commitment to charitable efforts.

The coordinator shared her personal experiences of helping people by providing cash, food items, clothing, and shoes, all aimed at bringing smiles to the faces of those less fortunate.

Jolomi Tedeye, a pastor, shared how he organizes young members of his church to engage in charity work, distributing books and other items to young people in the church community.

Roselyn Bemigho Ugbeye recounted her own charity work during her service year, where she and her team supported an orphanage with various essentials.

The session concluded with the distribution of pens to all participants, while 80-leaf branded notebooks were given to those who had expressed a need for books when asked to write down one thing they required. Those who hadn’t requested notebooks were encouraged to prioritize education over gadgets.

Volunteers:

• Debi Amadedon
• Emmanuel Egbe
• Jolomi Tedeye
• Eworitsemogha Wyse
• Ugbeye Roselyn Bemigho

Other Key Activities During the Session:

80-leaf notebooks and pens were distributed to the participants.

What Went Wrong:

A technical issue with the projector was encountered during the session.