AKOEYO

It sounds cool when we say we are Partners of SI4DEV. “Partner” sounds really cool! Having it in your CV gives you a thumbs-up for sure. When I go on Linkedin and type Strategy and Innovation for Development Initiative, guess what I see? Not just the NGO’s page, I see Partners, Ambassadors at SI4DEV. Wow!… But before we finish wowing, let’s quickly get this straight!

 

Some months ago, when I was just new into the NGO, I got so excited about it and spoke with a friend of mine about my new partnership. “Oh, great!” she responded “So what is your NGO about?” You wouldn’t believe that some Partners still chat me up to ask this question. While the detail is infinite, I had quickly done a 3-hour research about SI4DEV on the website, after my friend’s almost-embarrassing question. Actually, I had known a little about SI4DEV and its focus areas, but I did not give my curious friend a satisfactory answer, and I could see some disappointment in her facial expression like, “How could you sign up for what you don’t really know?” “Oh dear, you don’t need to stutter at what you are a partner of. Just do your homework,” my blunt but sincere friend finally voiced out.

Now, let’s trash this out. We must get it straight here and now!

 

What’s SI4DEV?

SI4DEV is Strategy and Innovation for Development Initiative, an NGO registered in Nigeria and committed to empowering community leaders who are working towards a 21st century Nigeria where every citizen has a just and fair access to the resources and opportunities needed to achieve their full potentials.

 

In between the lines of the above paragraph is where we fall. So as Partners, what did we sign up for? Let’s break it down. The description of SI4DEV can be broken into 3 segments.

  1. [Strategy and Innovation for Development Initiative is an NGO registered in Nigeria and committed to empowering community leaders]
  2. [community leaders who are working towards a 21st century Nigeria- where every citizen has a just and fair access to the resources and opportunities needed to achieve their full potentials.]
  3. [every citizen has a just and fair access to the resources and opportunities needed to achieve their full potentials.]

Q: So where does the Partner fall?

A: Simple! Segment B.

Q: Who is a Partner?

A: The Partner is that Community Leader who SI4DEV empowers. (Community leaders include Volunteers as well, but Partners are at the forefront)

Q: What is the job of a Partner?

A: The job of the Partner is to work towards a 21st Century Nigeria (in his/her community)

Q: What is 21st Century Nigeria?

A: 21st century Nigeria (in SI4DEV and the Partner’s context) is a Nigeria where every citizen has the just and fair access to the resources and opportunities needed to achieve their full potentials.

 

Now that we know this, before we concentrate on the Partner, let’s look at the stake holders in this vision.

Who is the visionary? Of course the visionary is SI4DEV. SI4DEV has the vision of a 21st century Nigeria. That’s why the board of trustees set it up in the first place.

What is SI4DEV’s major role? To empower Partners to ensure that the vision of a 21st century Nigeria is achieved in their respective communities.

Who are the potential beneficiaries of this vision? Every citizen of Nigeria.

Do they have a role? Of course!

What then is their role? To live up to their full potential in the 21st century Nigeria. Remember that the 21st century Nigeria is where every citizen has a just and fair access to the opportunities needed to achieve their full potential. So the responsibility of the citizen is to adequately utilize resources and opportunities they need(readily available at a just and fair access) in order to better their lives and achieve their full potentials.

 

Wow! So we come back to the Partner.

What does the Partner need? The Partner needs empowerment! It is SI4DEV’s job to empower you with necessary backing, endorsements and support, because whatever job you do in line with SI4DEV’s vision is in SI4DEV’s name! You are partnering under the umbrella of SI4DEV, so as much as you should be cautious, you are also secured. That is why you report to SI4DEV in your community projects and activities. So you are being empowered by SI4DEV. In return you must be loyal, faithful and accountable to SI4DEV.

What should the Partner do? The Partner should team up with other Partners and Volunteers within his/her location to brainstorm, access, plan and organize activities in their community in line with the 21st century Nigeria objectives. It is NOT the Partner’s responsibility to make people achieve their full potential, no! Once they have the just and fair access to the resources and opportunities they need, then the ball is in their court to live up to their full potential or not. However, Partners can go an extra mile to see that citizens achieve their full potential.

Partners must constantly make efforts to identify the odds in their communities (how their communities are not 21st century communities). Identifying problems is the first step to transformation. Once they identify these problems through several methods such as community needs assessment, they can then write to draw the attention government and other stake holders through letters, position letters and press reviews; plan on community sensitization and activities centred at mitigating such problems, etc. In other words, Partners must constantly have the ’21st century Nigeria’ as a benchmark for their planned activity or project outcomes.

 

Can you now see what you signed up for? Playing the middleman between SI4DEV and the citizens and community whose conditions need attention is a huge task. Therefore the Partner has to work with major stakeholders like government, institutions, traditional societies, men, women and youth, etc to achieving a 21st century Nigeria.

Did you ever see yourself in this light? Therefore what we signed up for requires great responsibility.

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