Speaker's Challenge Funds Water Wells Across Nigeria

A keynote address at a nonprofit anniversary turned into an instant fundraising moment when audience members began committing resources on the spot for clean water projects.

Mfon Ekpo, CEO of The Discovery Centre, spoke at the Golden Initiative For All (GIFA) second anniversary celebration in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The event honored GIFA founder Pastor Mrs. Patience Umo Eno, the state's late First Lady, who championed clean water access before her passing.

Ekpo's speech challenged common stereotypes about Akwa Ibom people, reframing historical narratives with pride. She pointed to figures once mocked as household workers, explaining they actually represented trusted guardians and caretakers who built social bonds long before hospitality became professionalized.

She also rejected the "crab in a basket" stereotype that suggests Nigerians pull each other down. Instead, Ekpo shared personal stories of mentors, civil servants, and community leaders who paid school fees, wrote recommendations, and opened doors for the next generation.

"I am not an exception," she told the crowd. "I am a product."

Then came the pivot from words to action. Ekpo announced her personal pledge to fund a borehole, emphasizing that clean water affects health, education, and dignity in communities that lack reliable access.

The Ripple Effect

What happened next wasn't planned. Audience members began standing to announce their own pledges, committing funds for additional boreholes across the state.

The spontaneous response transformed a commemoration ceremony into a collective mobilization. State officials, community leaders, and citizens moved from listening to participating in real time.

Ekpo closed with a childhood memory of offering her father five naira after thieves robbed their home. The small amount couldn't fund recovery, but it symbolized something deeper: solidarity and shared ownership of community challenges.

"We are not spectators in development," she said. "We are stakeholders."

GIFA was established in December 2022 as a community development platform focused on clean water, women's economic empowerment, maternal health, and elderly care. Lady Helen Eno Obareki now leads the initiative, continuing the founder's mission of grassroots support that complements government programs.

The evening proved that inspiration matters most when it converts to action, and that communities rise fastest when citizens participate rather than wait.