Finding Purpose
Eight years ago, at the kanthari campus, we had a lively discussion about the question “what is meaningful work?”
Many of our graduates set up their own training programs and centers for very specific target groups. They ask themselves what kind of training is meaningful and sustainable. How can I convince young people from the slum that fashion design is “cooler” than selling drugs? And can women in poverty-stricken localities really survive by making jewelry? Saa Moses, a peace activist from Sierra Leone, got angry: “We can’t afford to put on colorful armbands in times of crisis! and who needs fashion when bullets are flying around?”
Growing up, Saa had survived a 14-year brutal civil war. And, when the war was finally over, he had no idea that only a few years later he would become an emergency responder during the Ebola crisis.
But it was Lawrence Afere, a young, rather thoughtful Nigerian, who completely changed the view of meaningful work. Lawrence comes from a remote area in Nigeria. Because of good grades, he was one of the first in his village to be admitted to the university in Ota, close to Lagos State. He finished his studies with distinction, so his entire family expected Lawrence to get a high paid job in a bank or in a company. Despite a high unemployment rate, Lawrence’s prospects looked promising, even among other competing graduates.
The family was shocked and disappointed when Lawrence suddenly reappeared in his village and announced that he would rather become a farmer. And not only that, he wanted to convince other young people not to look for work in the city. He took some neglected, fallow fields and worked from morning until late at night. To the displeasure of many villagers, more and more young people joined Lawrence.
After completing the kanthari Program in 2012, he launched Springboard Nigeria, an organization that aims to make agriculture attractive to young people. Lawrence is fully focused on organic agriculture.
To date, he has trained 3,450 young people to become organic farmers. And now, during the Corona crisis, the villagers finally understand how important farmers are and have always been.
“But now we are facing a problem. Due to the Corona related lockdown in Nigeria, there are hardly any helpers in the fields and that in the middle of the planting season.”