Knowing the value that you offer to your circle of friends is very vital. This will afford you the opportunity to improve on it and make the mission and vision of the circle successful.
In a circle of friends, we have the one that bail others out financially. We have the one that reaches out to others and serves as a unifying figure. We also have those that motivate the circle, render advice to the group collectively and individually as the case may be. Among the friends also, we may have the one that spearheads any activity that involves physical strength.
In my own case, I wasn't the type with close friends while growing up. It remained like that till I got to the university. While in the university, I became close to some colleagues and we formed what could be termed as a circle of friends. We met once in a while to calm our heads down from the demands of our academic pursuits. The circle flourished in that manner and after a few years, we graduated and left for our separate ways.
About four years later, I went home for the Eid-el-fitri holiday and coincidentally four of us were at my hometown for the holiday. We hung out on the eve of the Eid day and while at the peak of our discussion, we reflected on the challenges that we faced while growing up in the village and unfortunately the problems were still persisting.
"I know that we are just finding our feet after graduation but it's not too early to think in the direction of giving back to this community." Ezekiel suggested we start somewhere.
"A hungry man doesn't go on charity at the expense of his stomach." Jobe chuckled and played down the idea.
"But guys, I think we need to get serious here." Said James, the fourth person in the sitting. "We may not have the financial power to construct roads, build schools or donate boreholes to this community but I believe we are capable of buying exercise books or sewing school uniforms for two orphans with the bill we are paying for this hangout today."
Ezekiel, Jobe and I concurred immediately. But then the question of the modalities to follow and get our vision actualized arose.
Jobe suggested that we should be contributing a token monthly to get started. Others feared that such contributions may not be done regularly due to pressing needs of individuals.
"Ojo, you are always our reliable adviser on issues like this. Advise us on what to do to make this lofty dream of touching the lives of the members of this community a reality." As if they were waiting for such a suggestion from Ezekiel, the remaining duo lend their voices in support immediately.
I smiled and told them to give me a day or two to think of what to do. I suggested that we form a WhatsApp group for further seamless communication and it was done by Ezekiel right there and everyone including four of our members that weren't at home at that point in time.
Screenshot of the WhatsApp group.
Two days later, I came up with a template and dropped it in the WhatsApp group. I suggested that we should embark on a thrift system of saving. It is a system of pooling a certain quantum of money to each of us monthly till the cycle is complete and all members have collected a similar amount of savings. While contributing the money, a due of 1000 naira accompanies it. The due belongs to the house and after some months, we could decide on what to use it for. The idea was bought by others immediately. We started the contribution and each month, 8000 Naira entered the purse of the group.
After two years, we increased the due tremendously and presently we have reasonable funds in our purse and we are planning to donate borehole to our community in October this year. That will be in addition to what we have been doing in increasing the enrollment of out of school children.
This is my role in my circle of friends. They believe in my advice and judgment on issues. I remember them meeting me to ask me, "what should I do?" And when I give them advice, they work by it and come back to appreciate the wisdom behind such advice.
Today, despite not being the richest among my circle, they value my presence in any gathering of our circle and even value my opinion on issues more.
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