Our world today is filled with so many issues and challenges which bears their roots from our communities. These issues are either human, environmental, health, social, cultural or traditional and religious issues etc. For every challenge confronting our society there are solutions which can only be proffered by one who desires and seeks to make positive impact in his community

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Impact is made when a desired or expected need is met and sustained. A person of impact is undoubtedly a leader who can influence change and ultimately transform the destinies of communities and countries. The ultimate goal of life is to make positive impact in the course of the pursuit of vision and purpose. This can only be achieved through an effective plan to make a difference within one’s community.

I perceive there is someone with a sincere passion and earnest desire to transform the lives of people, but does not have the required information or strategy on how to achieve this. I believe this write-up will enlighten, equip and empower such an individual or persons to take the bold step needed and embrace the courage required to accomplish this.

The following are required to make positive impact in one’s host community:

1. Inquiry: Inquiry is the act of asking questions and carrying out research in order to find out the areas of intervention in the community such as health, education, agriculture, water supply etc. Before embarking on projects, it essential to carry out a needs assessment in your community to ascertain what they actually need. This will help avert a situation where a project, idea or initiative is introduced but has no immediate relevance to the target beneficiaries.

2. Information: Useful information is what leads to transformation. This information can be obtained from books, journals, articles etc. Information is what places you ahead of others in your field of endeavor. Information acquired will enable you commence and complete projects that will be relevant and impactful to the community. Information transcends age, experience, expertise and educational qualification. When it comes to knowledge and information there is no limit to what one should know since life is dynamic hence there is a great need for constant study.

3. Imagination: Imaginations are products of thoughts which are formed as images in the mind. One must visualize the future and the impact to be made. Just as the saying goes “the future you picture is what features in your future” You must visualize yourself doing what you have planned to do and the difference it will make in the life of others. The more you picture it the greater the motivation and passion to do it and the more it becomes real to you than ever before. This also makes you believe it’s achievable because already you can see it happening by picturing it in your mind.

4. Insight: Insight arises from your ability to look beyond what you see in physical or what is written in order to have a proper and deeper understanding of the challenges confronting the community and the strategies to be adopted. Insight enables you to see things differently from others with a broader perspective and perception of what should be done, why it should it be done, how it should be done and when it should be done.

These are just but a few of the requirements needed to make significant impacts and positive contributions in one’s community. Change is a constant process of life and until it is initiated it can never be impactful to lives and helpful to people. In every one lies the capacity to be an agent of change but this can only be discovered through personal evaluation and discovery. It is through evaluation that one’s gifts, talents, potentials and abilities are discovered, harnessed and utilized for the purpose of making a difference in the lives of others.

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