Finding Purpose in Helping Others: A Volunteer’s Tale Of Volunteering

Ever wondered how a simple act of kindness could transform lives, including your own? Join me, Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin, on this heartfelt Episode of The Discussion Den, where I open up about my Volunteer Journey that started in Nigeria during my University days. This Episode is not just a story but a testament to the incredible power of collective effort and empathy. From supporting Liberian Refugees with essential donations and companionship to teaching Children in Refugee Camps, you’ll hear how these experiences have deeply shaped my passion for giving back.

As Miss O.O.U and during my NYSC Service in Katsina State, I continued to engage in impactful Volunteer Work, making Donations to Orphanages and supporting those in need. You'll hear firsthand accounts of joy and gratitude from the communities We helped, and how these interactions have left a lasting impact on my life. Get ready for an inspiring conversation that underscores the significance of volunteering and how it empowers both the giver and the receiver. Join me in celebrating the essence of humanity through the simple yet profound act of Giving and Volunteering.

Transcript

Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 0:00

Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Morning and Welcome to The Discussion Den Podcast. My name is Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin and I am your Captain and Host for today's episode, Episode Eight. In our Last Episode, Our topic was "Surviving Lifestorms the Art of Never Giving Up. If you haven't listened to this Episode, Episode 7, surviving Lifestorms the Art of Never Giving Up, I suggest that you go on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or any other Podcasting platform and search for The Discussion Den Podcast by Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin, and there you would see and be able to listen to all of my previous Seven Episodes. So today's Episode Topic is "Empowerment Through Volunteering or, in brief, volunteering".

Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 1:10

What is Volunteering? Volunteering, according to Wikipedia, is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving their time and labour, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas that they work in, such as Medicine, Education or Emergency Rescue, and so on. Now I will use Myself as an example. How did I start Volunteering? I am a proud Canadian Volunteer. I started Volunteering in 2002, and 2003 in my home country, Nigeria, I was admitted into the University to study Law . And I was admitted into the university to study law in 2002 at the Olabisi-Nobanjo University at Olabisi Onabanjo in Ogun State, Nigeria, and during that time there was a break or a Liberian civil war going on and so many Liberians found refuge in Nigeria as well as several western coastal regions in Africa, also in Gambia. But we had a refugee camp, a Liberian refugee camp settlement in Ogun State, very close, just a neighbouring village or a neighbouring town to Agoiwoye, which was in Oru and Awa. If you lived or if you are from Ogun State or Ijebu, part of or you State or you schooled in Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, you would know and you were in school around or you got admission around 2002, 2001, 2002, you would know that there was a big Liberian Refugee Settlement in Oru, and Awa Area of Ogun State.

Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 3:14

So over the weekend at that time we got drift that there was a refugee settlement very close to us. So over the weekend, weekend myself and a few friends or colleagues, law colleagues, we would go to the settlement. First and foremost we started by patronizing some of the refugees there because the women there they know how to braid hair. So we would go on Saturdays and patronize them and as time went on we got familiar with them and we're not. We realized that they not only could make hair. They also could make uh hats at craft at walks, so we would buy from them. We get to talk to them. We spend like an hour or two to keep them company, talk to them. We also found out who was in charge of that refugee camp and we gave our time to help the children, to teach the children while their mothers were walking, while their mothers were earning a living within the refugee camp. Also, we went back on Monday to Friday. We will discuss with some of our classmates and ask for donations of clothes, whether new or used, for women and for men and for babies, and then, over the weekend again, we will go back to the Liberian refugee in Ogun State there, very close to Agawiye Uru Awa, to donate these items to help the Liberian refugees there. And they were very thankful. They were very happy because most of them were widows. Some of them had lost their partners, their wives, during the war. Some of them had lost their children and some of them had their families scattered around Africa and they didn't even know when they would ever return to Liberia.

Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 5:12

And, being a university queen of my school, I was Miss OOU 2008 to 2010. I participated in a lot of beauty pageants. I also executed a seven-point agenda in Ogun State by going to the SOS Children's Village in Ogun State, ikija, and made some donations to the orphanage. When I went to serve NYSE, I was posted to Kassina Town in Kassina State, Nigeria. I was batch B for the 2011-2012 batch and I remember I won the NYSC Kastina Beauty Pageant. I also got the best NYSE the best youth corps member in Katsina town in Katsina state and I executed several community development projects by myself and with support of you know some organizations that donated towards my project. I also partnered with the Federal Road Safety Corps.

Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 6:26

I was an active member of section/division FRSC Student in Katsina State and I made sure because I was an English Teacher at the Government Girls Secondary School, Katsina State school and I was an English teacher for the one year I served there. I made sure that I donated um writing materials, uh school bags, books, pens, and buyers to all of the junior secondary school students of GGSC Government Girls Secondary School, Katsina Town. I made sure that their education was uh easy because that I I noticed that that was a bit of a challenge for some of the students. I also donated, and made sure that they had access to clean water, and clean drinking water within the school premises and their classrooms by making sure that the water was purified, donating cups and drinking containers water containers for them Also drinking containers water containers for them.

Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 7:31

There was a high rate of accidents along the road in front of the Government Girls Secondary School. There, a lot of times, the drivers were on top speed and, you know, injuring or colliding with the students. So I made cat eye reflectors along that road. I installed road bombs. I made zebra crossings. In partnership with FRSC, we all came together to paint the zebra crossings ourselves. I also erected a billboard indicating notification and awareness for drivers to reduce their speed that there's a school and there's a zebra crossing ahead. So all of these things I did, and much more and many more, which got me that award.

Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 8:18

In Katsina State, I was also recognized by the former governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Sheu Shima, and his wife, and up until today, I have been a very staunch Canadian volunteer. I have partnered with YMCA. I partnered partnered to help PRADA Canadian refugees settle within Canada, across Canada. I have also partnered with CLAM. I have been a volunteer with CLAM. I've gotten a recognition letter from CLAM. I've gotten a letter of recognition and appreciation from YMCA in 2018, 2019, and from PRAIDA. May I also reiterate that in my time in my Home Country, Nigeria, during my NYC time, when I volunteered and executed community development projects in Katsina Town, the former minister of education, Katsina State Ministry of Education also gave me a letter of appreciation and recognition for my community development services and my volunteering within the community?

Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 9:31

Why am I saying this? I'm saying this so that it's not about do as I say I believe in, do as I do as I do. So if I am actually here on my podcast encouraging you all to volunteer, to give your time, your resources, your energy, your intellect towards the community development within the areas that you are located in, it's because I am also doing the same For me. I have been helping refugees. There are so many ways you can volunteer. You can volunteer within the animal shelters around your neighborhood If you love animals. You can volunteer at the hospitals. You can volunteer at the whole people's homes by just going there to keep the elderly people company by reading books to them. You can volunteer at the children's hospital by reading books to them, by helping you know, because there's never enough staff on ground. As a volunteer, you help, you know, reduce the stress of the workers you help is a way of giving back to the society and, out of 24 hours in a day and 7 days a week, you can actually give 1 hour or 30 minutes or 2 hours of your time every week towards volunteering. So many ways Donating to the orphanage homes. Like I said, I did that in Lagos and in Ogun State by going to the orphanage homes. Like I said, I did that in Lagos and in Ogun State by going to the SOS Student Village. I organized Christmas parties for them, I gave them donations, I partnered with brands like Uno Noodles. At that time I donated, we cooked and donated food and all that you know. So there's so many ways you can actually have an impact in your country to be a good citizen and to be a good person.

Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 11:34

I always say these Refugees are the most hard-working, most resilient, and strongest people I know and if you ever meet a Refugee, please be kind to them. Refugees are people who have left their Home Countries to seek solace and to seek refuge in a place far away from home. You can imagine abandoning your Home, your Life, the things that you know, the Families and Friends you grew up with and your Education, just to flee for Safety and to restart your life again in a faraway country. So the least they need, the least you can do, is to smile, to be nice, to help them, to make their lives better. Avoid using racial slurs, avoid intimidating them, and avoid things that would make their life worse than it already is.

Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 12:37

I want to thank the Government of Canada, and the United Nations World Health Organization.

Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 12:44

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Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 12:44

want to thank the government of Canada, the United Nations world health organizations and so many, so many, so many Prada, YMCA, so many Organizations in Canada that are working tirelessly to see that Refugees who are in Canada are settled and they find refuge in Canada. I want to say thank you to the Canadians who have opened their arms to welcome and embrace Refugees to settle across Canada. So, wherever you are, whoever you are, it's never too late to start volunteering. Give one hour or 30 minutes of your time towards helping humanity. If you don't have time, you can send them money. Organizations, Registered Organizations within your Community, Food Banks you can work the Food Bank if it's 30 minutes. As Like I said, there are so many ways, so many ways to give back to society as a good Citizen of your Country. It is also important I mentioned that World Refugee Day was on Thursday, the 20th of June 2024.

Anthonia Oluwabunmi Uddin: 14:06

I just want to say thank you, guys, for listening to the Discussion Den Podcast. If you have not listened to all of my Episodes, please, go on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any Podcasting Platform to search for the Discussion Den Podcast by Anthonia Olwabunmi Uddin. Thank you for listening and stay tuned. Keep it locked on and look out for the next Episode shortly. Okay, guys, Thank you and make sure you Volunteer today. God Bless You, Cheers.