Inner Wheel Club sprang up in Manchester in 1924, and came to Nigeria in 1967. It used to derive its members from being a Rotarian wife, it extended to Rotary Family, until 2012, when our door was flung open to invite eligible service oriented respectable ladies to be a member. This came after Rotary approved admission of Ladies.
Inner Wheel has been a separate entity with different Constitution and style of management. 120,000 members, 4650 Clubs, 102 Countries. IIW has an observer seat at UN. Permanent seat with the CSW, Rep in Vienna and Geneva.
Our second Object is TO ENCOURAGE THE IDEALS OF PERSONAL SERVICE. Which is the magnet that drew and kept me in Inner Wheel.
Benefit of Community Services are so many and varied from different angle of purview.
Community Service is a non profit voluntary job, performed by one person and a group of people for the benefit of their community. This definition described aptly what Service Organisation like Inner Wheel Club members dedicate their time to do. Unlike most job where remuneration is expected, these members give their time treasures and talent to the community.
Giving Back. Community service is an opportunity to give back to the society what you probably have benefitted from, or a chance to bridge the gap where Government is lacking. In Nigeria where we don’t have any social service, being a capitalist state. There is so much to do to help the community, which should have been the responsibilities of the government. African society is noted for being its brother’s keeper. It taken two people to bring a child the world, but a community to raise such a child. Unfortunately, we are losing this culture. Community Service gives us the chance to bridge the gap. Giving back to the society gives some satisfying effects on the givers. Being a religious society as well, we believe that our reward for these services shall be in million-fold from the Universe. You do not have to be rich to give this service free of charge.
The Community Services we give is voluntary. Working with school children, is helping us to build a better generation. What we are losing the community child raising, we are gaining through Community Services.
Members of our organisation are noted for asking and seeking donation from individuals to help the community.
Kind-hearted organisation with Community oriented Corporate Social Responsibility have always been helping. In an attempt to give back, some Companies have a department for CSR.
Giving lectures to students, creating awareness of harmful practises, communicable disease and legal rights are all part of benefits of Community Services.
Inner Wheel Members are noted for caring for the aged, visiting retired senior members, giving them a lift to join programme or hospital appointments. We take care of strayed children, built a home for them for protection from moral dangers, until reunion with their parents.
Seeing the reform on these children impacts some happiness in you, that cannot be explained. Contribution can either be cash or service.
Service organisation are usually at hand during disasters, helping the victims and giving succours. We do all these without the intention of getting a reward. Giving time and treasures without counting cost. These services are meant to benefit someone else. Doing all of these gives a sense of belonging. Relating to the feeling of others, making you empathises and understand how the shoe pinches.
Making other smiles and happy, improves the givers mental health, happiness radiates and seeing others happy, it does not cost you any money, and in effect make a better person mentally.
There are so many opportunities in Community services, knowing the culture, understanding human dynamics, knowing when your services and needed and appreciated. When you help other, you are also helping yourself subconsciously.
Part of Community Services Inner Wheel gives are training and empowering drop out students, skill acquisitions with necessary machinery to operate after the training.
Free Computers literacy class and giving laptop to best students.
In the process of providing these services you also get educated. In arrear of Health issues that concerns women and children, IW have given quite a lot. Free medical screening and free surgery, and medications. Free services here can be getting recipient to participate in the health fair.
All areas are covered by Community Services.
We were in the fore front of campaign against Female Genital Mutilation.
A Lecturer gave a comprehensive history of origin of this awful practice and the communities where these practices are still prevalent, thereby getting educated in the process.
CS have given the opportunity to train the Girls to say NO, whilst we were teaching, we also got trained on how to protect ourselves, with simple security safety measures.
The advent of social media has given a new dimension to community services. Posting of rear compassion to fellow citizen has attracted many outreaches of kindness. Exposing uncharitable practices, abuses in various form, the law enforcement agents are not excluded. Concern for the next citizen in many forms, seeking for help and giving when not solicited.
There are Direct Community Services, which is encouraging the ideals of personal service.
Raising fund to help other in need. Giving Scholarships, free medical screening and treatment and free legal services.
All these may be regarded as direct community service.
Indirect Community Service is the Campaign and Awareness of various ills in the society. Preventing communicable diseases.
Services to be provided need to be identified before the services can be meaningful.
A community that needs portable water will appreciate access to such. Community that travels miles to reach a health centre, will appreciate one built and equipped within them.
Community practices that require awareness and education for better well-being will appreciate an awareness programme to educate. In giving a meaningful Community Services, it is usually advantageous to get the Community to participate, however small as it may be in the planning and execution. It gives sense of belonging. Part of indirect Community Services is awareness to eradicate harmful culture. Family planning for a better up bringing of the number of children you can manage.
As a volunteer, engaging in community services help widen one’s horizon, and outlook to life. Understanding various culture and human dynamics, are unquantifiable experiences gained when giving such services.
Coming across those better than you and those you are better than, will get you to count your blessing, appreciate what Universe has given you and empathising with less privileged, knowing you were just lucky to be where you are. It brings out the humble part of you, the fear of nature and you are not likely to take normal things for granted. Leaving your comfort zone to find out that you should not have complained about anything at all.
We have a programme in Inner Wheel, named Wall of Kindness, where all things you regarded as useless to you, becoming a treasure in other people home. The scramble to pick an item will humble you. Reality of life will be done upon you, asking self-probing questions, why were you keeping those items in the first place, if it can be of use to others. It’s the easiest community service one can give. This has been a practice for all Clubs in Inner Wheel.
Apart from making others happy, you are lifting your spirit by giving your home more space for oxygen.
My little time in dispensation of justice as a Juvenile Magistrate, I encouraged a lot of Community Service instead of punishment, to both subjects and parents. It is humbling for both parties and are not likely to forget so quickly when such service was rendered. Benefits of Community Services are endless. It can also be given as an emotional support. Service in kind, shoulder to lean on, it teaches kindness and empathy.
During my tenure as International Wheel President in 2016/17, I saw Community Services in different shapes and form. Having visited over 28 countries to inspect and commission various project. The Theme I chose for my year of service was “Touch a Heart” which bother on Encouraging the Ideals of Personal Service.
My message to the world was, Touch a Heart gives birth to kindness, being generous with your time, money, resources and willingness to help.
Your true wealth is the good you do to help and motivate other people in the world. Be the example and true champion by being kind to our earth, honour the ideas of a global community, that we are each other’s keepers, ensuring safety, security, comfort, wellness, beauty and peace.
Be kind to yourself, take care of your body by eating well, it goes through to the heart. Be kind with our words. Words spoken is like a broken egg, you cannot pack them back. Make sure your words do not hurt your heart and the heart of others.
Touch a Heart, applies to our relationship with other people animal, plants and the Universe. It could be offering a helping hand, patiently waiting your turn, returning a phone call or favour, or even cheerfully responding with a smile. Benefits of touch a heart are boundless. It could be listening not necessarily giving advice, just listening to someone pouring emotions out with patience.
Giving someone a part on the back, a warm hug, when there is no one to acknowledge, can give the courage to move a mountain. A wink of an eye that means you can do it.
Touch a Heart through the way you treat your environment, the trees are our lungs, the rivers our blood streams, they are all interconnected and what you do to environment ultimately you do to yourself. Kindness in the way we handle our environment, the oxygen we breathe works through our lungs and fuel our blood through our heart.
We can give compassion through Touch a Heart, an essential part of our life. The smile expressed by the recipient of your kindness is an experience more powerful than word. To become acquainted with touching a heart, all of us must be prepared to learn new things and feel new feelings. Together we can accomplish the goal, alleviate poverty, create happiness, educates the uninformed, relieve pain, strengthen friendship with a smile and change the world. Touch a Heart is more than a philosophy of mind, it is philosophy of the spirit.
Giving and participating in Community Service in any we can help to make the world better. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this educative programme.
Immense appreciation for your attention.
Being an address delivered as Guest Speaker during the installation ceremony of IWM Felicia Agbonhese as the 6th District Chairman Inner Wheel 910 – Nigeria held at Funtaj International School, Gudu District, Abuja, by Mrs. Oluyemisi Alatise, Past International Inner Wheel President 2016-2017.
