It was an interesting interview session on Saturday, May 18, 2019, as representatives from Rural Nurture Initiative were hosted at R2FM. Miss Damilola Iyiola expressed her profound gratitude to everyone who graced the previously held inauguration ceremony, stating that the organisation is set for impact. The team passionately intimated the public with the activities of the organisation and seized the opportunity to solicit public support towards the upcoming Rural Charity and Health Outreach. Listen to the recorded version below:

RNI proposes to embark on her maiden outreach tagged Rural Charity and Health Outreach at Agele and Mogba villages in Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State. In addition to the high level of starvation and poverty that is prevalent in Agele and Mogba villages, this outreach was borne out of a survey that was conducted in these villages. The survey revealed a very poor WASH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene) condition, which predisposes the villagers to water-borne diseases and skin infections. The Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) that were conducted, revealed that the villagers practiced open defecation which aids the spread of diseases in the environment. Also, the villagers practiced burning of household waste, which invariably contributes to global warming. In addition, the pair needs ranking indicated that lack of water is a major challenge, making water a felt-need in the communities. On a long term, Rural Nurture Initiative (RNI) seek to create sustainable solution to the water challenge as well as provide adequate sanitation facilities in these villages. However, in the interim, we will be embarking on a charity and health outreach to better their living condition. The proposed activities include: Medical Test (Malaria and HIV test) Basic Vital Signs (Blood Pressure and B.M.I.) Sensitisation on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Post-test Health counseling Free medication Gift items (Foodstuff, clothes, footwear, toothpastes, toothbrushes, etc) We ask that you kindly give to better the lives of these rural dwellers and join the effort we are making to save and improve rural lives. Please visit any of these online platforms to make a donation: https://donate-ng.com/campaign/rural-charity-health-outreach bit.ly/RNIdonate Or send your donation to: Fidelity Bank 6060405291 Rural Nurture Initiative Remember, we make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give – Winston Churchill #SDG1 #SDG2 #SDG3 #SDG6 #SupportRuralPoor #NationBuilding #LoveSpreading

On Friday, April 26, 2019, the atmosphere at the premiere University of Ibadan was agog as RNI sets to change to the existing narratives of rural dwellers in Africa. Live at the UI Hotels, RNI held her inauguration ceremony amidst great joy with 104 participants witnessing the launch of this tidal rousing initiative. The programme started at 1:40pm with opening prayer by Mrs Shola Iyiola, the proprietress of Fesola International Kiddies School, Lagos. Thereafter, Miss Damilola Iyiola, the Founder/CEO of the initiative went ahead to give her welcome address. In her welcome address she stirred up the interest of the participants as they witness the birthing of a disruptive idea. Then again, in her speech on ‘About RNI’, the CEO provided an insight to the vision and mission of the initiative; and most especially, she pointed out that RNI is a call, a response and an answer. Following her speech was the presentation of the first speaker, Dr M. A. Ayanlowo the Director of Rural Development, Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development. In his speech, Dr Ayanwolo elaborated on the important roles that Non-governmental Organizations play in all societies around the globe as well as their complementary activities towards Governmental efforts. It was an interactive and interesting session as the compere entertained reactions from the audience. As a part of the agenda, there was a game to give some sort of comic relief to the already captivated audiencw. The game involved a social media activity in which three winners emerged. The winners were Miss Ifokwe Gift, Miss Adeshina Marvellous and Mr Adeola. Similarly, the early birds, who were the first to arrive at the event were also rewarded, they are, Mr Oyelude Seun, Mr Aniaihor Chijindu and Miss Tanimowo Oluwaseyi. In the second presentation, Engr. (Mrs) R. A. Adabanija, The Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation, Oyo State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDP), discuss extensively on why the rural communities, and not the urban areas, should be the target for development. She also buttressed the roles of NGOs in achieving sustainable rural development in Nigeria. Using a geographical map, she spelt out rural areas in Oyo State that are deficient and in need of urgent assistance from NGOs. Her speech was followed by a question-and-answer session that was which was also adequately attended to by her. Another interlude to excite the serious atmosphere was a creative spoken word rendition about the need to rescue the rural areas from poverty and hunger by Xrenegade_1 (Aniakor Chijindu Amen by birth). A participant reacted to his presentation as a poem that should be posted on RNI website. The spoken word was followed by a call for donation towards RNI’s upcoming outreaches to rural communities. This was handled by Miss Joanna Mustapha, who motivated the audience drawing instances from the just concluded presentation. A short video was played after which Miss Damilola Iyiola came up to expatiate on Miss Joanna’s comment, urging the people to give their token to impact rural lives. This spurred up a great cooperation from the audience as they gave willingly towards the upcoming outreaches. In recognition of their commitment towards rural development in Nigeria, Miss Damilola Iyiola presented a merit award to the two facilitators; and Mrs Funmilola Adedibu gave a closing remark. In the remark, she emphasized the need for all and sundry to rise to the call to impact rural lives and support RNI’s vision to alleviate poverty and hunger in rural communities. Click here for more inauguration pictures In conclusion, Miss Iyiola Damilola gave the vote of thanks in which she acknowledged and appreciated all participants and further implored them to continuously join forces and resources with RNI to make impacting rural lives a reality. A closing prayer was said and the birth of RNI was concluded.

As part of the agenda of the inauguration ceremony, there was a creative spoken word rendition about the need to rescue the rural areas from poverty and hunger by Xrenegade_1 (Aniakor Chijindu Amen  by  birth). You can listen to the audio: LYRICS Spirits of development Hands of fortune Come and straighten my back old and bent Help me dance to civilization’s tune   Why do you evade me? Why do you pass over my door post? Why do you not invite me to your rallies? Why do you leave misfortune and illiteracy to choke my throats?   Spirits of urbanization Whenever I eat my food I instantly fall ill My water is never good And yet you continue to drill   You drill and drill me To give your cars my resources to drink You power your generators and yet I have no electricity Your yachts and luxury ships float while I sink   Spirits of technology You cut down my trees To ensure the continuity of your newspapers Yet my children do not write down my pleas For they not know what to do with a pen and paper   Spirits of the modern world Hear my voice crying out Listen to my badly formed words My dying culture cries aloud   My young and old Suffer from what you call Malaria Prevent and cure I ask noble and bold Help my people, your people for we are one Nigeria   Oohhh! Great spirits Arise to my cause Abolish ignorant tradition’s limits Make my villages the cause for applause                                                                               Hearken to my cries For I grow weaker….. Save me now before I die © Xrenegade_1, 2019 Follow on IG @ Xrenegade_1

Once again, it’s delightsome standing before this great audience to talk about this Vision, this Mandate called Rural Nurture Initiative and I’ll like to start by telling a story… Years back, I had the cause to visit some rural communities to collate data for my academic project but the sight that welcomed me caused my heart to bleed. The starving little ones; unclothed and barefooted, the aging adult due to tiresome labour on the farm, the supposed leaders of tomorrow who couldn’t speak good English, and the seemingly wasting destinies. I pondered so hard on the situation of their harsh living condition then silently, i began asking myself some questions: What if… What if I was the one given birth to in this environment? What if I wasn’t as privileged as I am? Wouldn’t it be some sort of ill luck? On and on went the questions and oh! I wished I could help but I was just an undergraduate, so I promised myself to rise to the situation in the future. In more recent encounters with some other rural communities, which are the targets for RNI’s maiden and second outreaches, I came across worse scenarios and my heart would not stop reaching out to these people. Then once again, I promised myself to commit to impacting rural lives sometimes, somehow, in the future. But Ladies and gentlemen, it later dawned on me that the future is not ten years’ time, neither is it twenty years’ time; the future is now! The future of Nigeria is now! The future of Africa is now! Come to think of it, we depend on the rural communities in so many ways but give back to them in so little ways (We depend on them for Agricultural produce for consumption, raw materials for our industries, data for academic project, publication in journals for promotion, the list goes on)… Before you tell me that they get paid for sold agricultural produce, remember that what they receive isn’t even commensurate to their labour. As a friend once said, life is give and take, it’s about exchange and anything short of that is robbery. Ladies and gentlemen, I say to you, it is time we make efforts to quit this act of robbery. Suffice it to say then, that it’s time we started paying attention to these fragile ones and started giving back to them. This, I would say, prompted the birthing of Rural Nurture Initiative (RNI). RNI aims at boosting the quality of rural lives in Africa, with present focus on remote and underprivileged communities in Nigeria. We seek to actualize the Sustainable Development Goals, with emphasis on SDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. Our mission is to provide social safety nets for the poor and pro-poor; to bring rural communities into developmental limelight; to project the felt needs of rural communities to the general public for necessary intervention; to create a platform for urban dwellers to support the less privileged in rural communities; as well as to create incentives for business owners to perform their Cooperate Social Responsibility. We have a couple of outreaches to rural communities which has been tailored to achieve our vision and mission (we have the Charity Outreach; Health Outreach; Agricultural Outreach a.k.a Help a farmer project; School Outreach; Empowerment Outreach and Specialized outreach a.k.a Community Felt-needs Project). In conclusion, RNI is much more than an initiative; RNI is a call, a response and an answer. RNI is a call; a call to individuals (you and I), and the urban centered NGOs to change the narratives and pay better attention to the less privileged in rural communities. A call to give back to the society and make the world a better place. RNI is a response; a response to the pain and silent cry for help in the heart of rural dwellers. RNI is an answer; an answer to those who wish to give back to rural communities but do not know where, what and how to go about it. Once again, Ladies and Gentlemen, I will like to reiterate to you all that RNI is a Call, a Response and an Answer. Thank you for listening. © Damilola Iyiola

Tuesday, April 23, 2019, a representative from Rural Nurture Initiative visited Diamond 101.1 FM to acquaint the public about the activities of the organisation. RNI was hosted on the interview segment of Farmers’ forum, an innovative and informative programme which holds every Tuesday at 6:15pm. You may listen to the recorded version here: https://rnionline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/InterviewTuesday232019.mp3 Or check out the publicity fliers below:

The newly founded Non-Governmental Organisation, Rural Nurture Initiative (RNI), by Miss Iyiola Damilola Faidat, after due registration with the Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC), and membership subscription to the Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organisations (NNNGO), hereby intends to hold her inauguration ceremony, which will mark the formal launching of the Organisation on Friday, April 26, 2019. The Theme of the event is “The roles of Non-Governmental Organisations in Sustainable Rural Development in Africa” and the Speakers are Dr. M. A. Ayanlowo, the Director of Rural Development, Oyo state Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, and Engr (Mrs.) R. A. Adabanija, the Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation, Oyo State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA). The event is scheduled to hold between the hours of 1pm and 3pm at Seminar rooms 1 and 2, U.I hotels, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo state. It has been put together with the aim of challenging the public to pay better attention to the rural segment of the population, as well as to help community development organisations like hers, to know their place in developing Africa through an inclusive development that prioritizes rural communities. It is an open event and the general public is hereby invited.