The COVID-19 Safe Spaces Project for Women and Youths in Kontagora Community: A Rewarding Experience

As the Project Coordinator for Safe Spaces for Everyone, before I ever considered supporting excluded people, I had no idea how much joy it would give back to me. It’s a lot of sacrifices but so rewarding when you consider the positive impact on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups like women, children, and young people in rural communities. Our network has always loved helping under-served people but we feel so very lucky to have actually been able to do that in the past few years. 

At Safe Spaces for Everyone, we have been actively involved in various charitable causes in rural communities. Supporting the design, plan, and implementation of several development projects has opened up opportunities for women, youths, and children. It’s also changed the way we think about our role in these communities.

The positive feedback from community stakeholders and the recipients of our various activities have encouraged us to go above and beyond to effect change in our local communities. And so, this week, Safe Spaces for Everyone launched the COVID-19 Safe Spaces project to stem the unfortunate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable people, especially young women and young people in rural areas.

According to the United Nations Population Fund, if the lockdown continues for 6 months, there will be 31 million additional cases of gender-based violence. Sadly, that's just one of the negative effects of COVID-19 as it is already limiting women and young people's access to economic opportunities, leading to extreme poverty and hunger.

However, through the COVID-19 Safe Spaces project, I and a team of volunteers are implementing innovative activities that fit around women and youths affected by COVID-19. 

We have reached over 388 women and youths and plan to reach 1,000 more in the next three months if the pandemic persists. In small but effective ways, our network of volunteers is working towards a world where everyone (including people living in remote/ rural areas) can access economic, health, and social amenities, even during a pandemic.

Making Life Work

Like everyone else, I have challenges to overcome, plans I need to align with God's will (this is actually the tasking part!), and of course, a lot of little stuff in between. Most pertinent is an issue I have to make peace with in few days. So when this Lady who didn’t know me told me “You look good,” it was definitely well-received! I left home this morning late for work, with no make-up and a bit down but suddenly with that compliment, I was grateful! 

I’d like to say gratitude has worked for me. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is. No matter how many pleasant things I do, if I‘m not grateful, I will always see things negatively.

I'm trying not to sound like it's all that easy but here's the thing - If you're grateful and you think life is going to get better, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. But I know some of us are just not wired to appreciate the seemingly little things. It's not like these kind of people are particularly ungrateful; their eyes are just set on bigger achievements. 

That said, I believe gratitude can be learned and that we can teach ourselves to see a half-empty glass as half-full. All we have to do is dwell more on all the things that have gone right for us, rather than those that have gone badly.  I discussed something similar in a previous post – here.

You might as well know that dwelling on negative events can induce worry, impatience and even depression. However, the thoughts of your many 'small' blessings can help pick you up. If you are a religious person, simply take a moment out and be grateful to God for His everyday mercies. It could be anything from a rewarding conversation, to your teeth looking nice, or even that it didn't rain on you when you were out on a bike.

The bottom line is, whether you are a Christian, Muslim, Atheist or of any religious affiliation, a little gratitude wouldn't hurt. Give it a try today!