KENNETH JOHNSON FOUNDATION

VOLUNTEER

Volunteering according to the dictionary means “to freely offer to do something”. The act of volunteering is born out of selflessness, dedication and passion. Wikipedia, defines a volunteer as a person or group of persons who labor and give their time for community work freely. Another definition from Oxford languages has it that, a volunteer is an individual who, of his or her own accord, takes up a service or shows the preparedness or readiness to take up a task, freely without even being paid.

Who is a less privileged person? This is one who does not have or enjoy the benefits that others have. These underprivileged ones are mainly identified as people living in poverty. Volunteering for the less privileged is a commitment to putting smiles on the faces of those that cannot pay you back in any way. The fulfillment of putting smiles on their face is self-rewarding.

Helping the less privileged can take place in different ways. It could be helping with their education, clothing, feeding, shelter, health care, counselling and advocacy, skill acquisition and so on. It is generally doing things for those that cannot do it for themselves. Volunteering to help the less privileged means choosing to assist and support them in making achieving their dreams near possible.

WHY SHOULD YOU VOLUNTEER?

1. Volunteering is One Sure to Feel Fulfilled and Accomplished:

Choosing to volunteer to help those that cannot pay you back, is a way to give back to society. Giving hope to those who have no means to get there. On the part of the volunteer it gives the feeling of fulfillment and accomplishment which cannot be measured.

2. Volunteering in the Area of Education is an Ultimate Win for the Society:

This is particularly in our country Nigeria, education is not seen to be a right but only a privilege. Educating the less privilege is an ultimate win-win situation for the country as a whole. Refusing to educate these ones spells doom for the country. There is a saying that if you are not informed, you will be deformed. They end up being deformed in their thinking capacity, in their ability to make right choices and to differentiate what is ethically wrong or right. They invariably become a threat to themselves and the society at large. The looming insecurity in developing countries of the world is alarming and is as a result of the poor value placed on education and the inability for some (less privileged ones) to have access to basic education. They become destructive to society and even to themselves.

Educating the underprivileged ones does not just enable them to know how to write and read, but also builds and sharpens their mind. This makes them useful citizens who will greatly contribute meaningfully to the society and foster development.

Another reason for educating the underprivileged, is that it is in conformity with the fourth (4th) sustainable development goals (SDG) set by the United Nations (UN) as a means to end poverty. It has been noted that where there is an absence or unavailability of basic education, it leads to extreme poverty. Volunteering in this regard helps to fight the scourge of poverty which is currently plaguing the country Nigeria. Providing education can also help to prevent child abuse and violation of human rights, and will invariably help reduce the rate of crime in the society. For those above the age of acquiring basic education, they will be taken through vocational trainings, and will be taught to acquire skills and equipped with the necessary tools and equipment for sustenance. These way citizens who are mentally stable will be raised and will not constitute a nuisance to themselves and the nation.

Providing Basic Education to the underprivileged population within the Nigerian society is our major goal at Kenneth Johnson Foundation. We currently have several programs running concurrently in Basic Education for Inmates, people living with disabilities and children who are unable to complete their basic education due to financial constraints and other circumstances beyond control.

3.  Volunteering in Healthcare, Sure Way to have a Healthy Conscious Society:

A saying goes that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. Access to good and quality healthcare facilities should be the right of every citizen. The underprivileged do not have access to these benefits and reaching out to them in this regard is highly expedient. Health outreaches where awareness on their health, hygiene, sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s), harmful traditional practices that are detrimental to one’s health, for instance, female genital mutilation (FGM), will be organized. Volunteering in health care is also important in the area of hospital supplies, provision of drugs, treatments and counselling.  The rural communities have been the sole focus or principal focal point of these exercises, because this is where the majority of the less privileged reside.

4. Volunteering Guarantees a secured Society

Volunteering to help the less privilege, helps to restore hope to the hopeless and to make them know that they are valued and love. Helping the underprivileged ones guarantees a secure nation because the neglected population will turn around to become a threat to society. The reason for the present increased level of insecurity in the country today, the moment they feel unaccepted, not cared for, they turn round to yield to whatever welcomes them, and this spells doom for the country.

Volunteering to help the less privileged according to the scriptures is the “only one true religion”. Let us ensure we do not leave these ones behind, and endeavor to provide them the basic necessities in order to live a decent life and turn out to become responsible citizens eventually. In our little capacities, we should come together to put smiles on the faces of those that cannot repay us.

The feeling is fulfilling and priceless!

Join us today as we take steps towards educating the society at large

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