ASUNTA'S DIARY: The highs, lows and lessons from my 25 years in the NGO world
In my work in the NGO sector, I cannot recall the names of all the people whose shoulders I have stood on. They come from diverse spectrums. Some are faceless women who live in informal settlements on less than half a dollar per day. PHOTO| FILE| NATION MEDIA GROUP
Like magnets, life too has two poles; negative and positive. And I have people who have touched my life in a negative way. People I want to forget. However, a lady called Pauline touched my life positively.
And she came just right in the nick of time: when I was starting KENWA. She gave me a personal constitution to live on: honesty and accountability.
“Asunta, never eat money for the poor, widows and orphans because, whether they see it or not, their Father, who is God Almighty, will see it and you will be answerable to Him,” Pauline counselled me.
Let’s see. I have clocked a quarter century, and counting, in the hot seat of advocating for the rights of persons infected and affected with HIV. Circumstances pushed me into this job, without any experience or education. Though I was not qualified, God brought people into my life to educate me.
People get into NGO work for different reasons. Some are opportunists. Some are fly-by-nighters. Others tough it out to make positive lasting changes in the community. To succeed in this sector, one must have their priorities right.
