Volunteerism and the Power of Storytelling
They say a journey of a thousand miles, begins with a step. “Congratulations you have been selected to participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders…” This was the exciting news I received from the Fellowship team. I packed my bag and traveled to America for the six week fellowship.
I never thought time would fly this fast. We visited various civil society organizations, conducted community service and received training on leadership, networking, community organizing, public speaking, social media, good governance and so many other aspects of leadership. Our last academic session enveloped my leadership experience on this journey on a good and high note with the highlight of Marla Blunt Carter’s presentation on volunteering and the power of storytelling.
Do you know what stories are? Do you know the power of storytelling? You think you know? So did I! For so many generations, stories have been used in different ways. From teaching communal values, educating, entertaining as well as means of building relationship and engaging the people. I always knew that story tellers are eloquent and good motivators. I never knew how my personal story could encourage others to be part of the social change movement, in transforming communities, one person at a time. Marla awoke the queen in me, through changing my perception of the power of storytelling. I got to understand how story telling builds relationships and also engages people in so many ways.
According to Marla, “it is all about how you tell your story and how well you state the “Why”, that gets people motivated to work with you.” You can use your story to sell a mission, to create a movement and motivate individuals to the point that they would like to make sacrifice.
My greatest take away as the program comes to an end is that when people have a positive story about me as a leader, they will emulate me and support me no matter the circumstances. If you are passionate about something, use the “moment” to tell your story in order to create a “movement.”
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Hajara Metcho, from Nigeria, is a training coordinator for the Discovery Learning Alliance DP2 Fitila Project (DLA-FITILA). She coordinates educational activities in inclusive education, girls’ empowerment, community engagement, and life skills for children, especially girls. She serves as a consultant and facilitator for NGOs. Hajara also worked as a lead trainer and community action mobilizer with DLA-FITILA under the Girl Education Challenge 1 project. She holds a master’s degree in English Literature from the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, she will apply the skills she acquired to effectively engage the community and government in implementing sustainable development projects. Through this engagement, she aims to provide basic education to children, creating a strong educational foundation. |