AS humans, we are all groomed and nurtured in a society, the society as a whole serves as an agent of our socialization. With our various childhood and adolescent experiences with friends in the society, to the cautioning and warnings of adults and elders in the society, to our parents naggings and corrections. All these help to frame us into who we are, and who we will become.
The society we grew in performed a huge and indelible responsibility of training us correcting us when we err; advising us when in a dilemma, preparing us for the life ahead, and all these help to refine and redefine us.   Hence, it’s our individual and collective responsibility of giving back to the society that deposited so much in us. “No man is an island” and no man can effectively function living in isolation. Therefore, the society we live in performs a huge role of shaping us, and making us reputable, so we need to as well give back to the society even more than what the society has given to us. In fact, it’s a joy to do so. You don’t have to possess a lot of money to make charitable donations and contributions, making an effort to touch someone’s life positively are a huge contribution. At times, in giving back to the society in the biggest way, the smallest acts are the kindest and richest. Just like Malcom Bane wrote, “if you wait until you can do everything for everybody, instead of something for somebody, you will end up not doing nothing for nobody”.
Therefore, from your own little sphere of contract, you can start by contributing your own quota to the   society. There’s no need waiting until you have all the money in the world before you think of giving to the society. Start from somewhere and it will lead you to everywhere.
Some persons still wonder and ponder on the need to give back to the society, and the benefits accrued to doing so. However, there need not be any benefits accrued to contributing your own quota to the society before you do so. It’s more like charity or donations/contributions to the society.
There are several children in the society who are unable to go to school because of their parents’ financial incapability; there are several other menaces such as children roaming the streets, child street hawking, child trafficking, child prostitution, and many more havoc in the society. However, with your helping hand, these various issues will become a thing of the past.
Furthermore, through your profession, you can contribute to the development of the society. For instance, as a medical doctor, you could give free health care services and treatment on a particular day(s), as a lawyer, you could render free services to clients.
In addition, you could establish various non-governmental organizations (NGOs), organize seminars and symposia, hold programmes on television or/and radio in which you give advice to people, proffer solutions to problems people are facing, such as the nationwide radio programme. “Sharing Life Issues with ChazB” on Silverbird’s Rhythm 93.7FM.
Albert Einstein once said, “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile”. Therefore, there is a need to begin living for others by touching the lives of hundreds and thousands of people out there.
It’s your contribution here on earth, the positive impacts you made in the lives of people that you will be remembered for at the end of your life on earth. Hence, it’s pertinent we leave a positive and indelible mark in the lives of many around us.
It’s our social responsibility to contribute our own quota to the growth of the society. We may not be applauded or rewarded for these contributions, but it’s crucial to do so, as it shows we appreciate what the society has done for us, and the numerous deposits of the society in us. The society as an agent of socialization performs a role of shaping our behavioral conducts, correcting our misconducts and other social misdemeanor that may be exhibited by us, without which many would have grown to become wayward. Therefore, don’t you think these kind gestures of the society, and people in the society need to be adequately repaid? However, for those who still argue that the society has not done much for them, there is still a need to do little for the society.
A famous quote says; “Thousands of candles can be lightened from a single candle and the life of the candle will not be shortened’. There is need to light up peoples lives, be a light to their darkness, bring smiles to several people’s faces, wipe the tears on the eyes of many, and you can do these by giving to the society.
It’s not about having large money in the bank before you can lend a helping hand to those who need it, rather, it’s about having a wiling spirit, a spirit that is always willing to help whenever the need arises.
In addition, the government cannot do everything for us, we as individuals need to come together to achieve a feat, we need to construct pipe borne water and boreholes to bring electricity to their community, to provide infrastructural facilities in the society, to bring free education to the community, when so many individuals living in that same society can do that but simply refused to do so, and some even use the term, “It’s the government duty and responsibility”, so they live in a community devoid of electricity because they have working generators and can afford to fuel it, in a society where water is inexistent because they have their personal boreholes, in a community where all the roads are bad because they drive “highlanders” “pathfinders” “range rover” ”Honda pilots”, “element” and the likes, so they will definitely not feel the effects of the bad road, and even if it affects their  vehicles they can easily pay a mechanic to repair it, their children do not go to schools using public transport. So, these categories of people see no need to give back to the society. However, this is a very wrong thing to do, as we all need one another at one point or the other, our virtual existence depends on one another. Hence a society you reject will never help you at your time of need,  a community you refuse to help will not assist you as well at the time you need them. If you are too busy for them, they will as well be too busy for you. If you act as if they do not exist, they will also behave as if you do not exist. Therefore, we all need to begin to do something positive for our society and for the people living in it.
Some notable personalities have contributed immensely to the development of the society. The pastor of Christ Embassy, who is also the president of Believer’s Love world has contributed immensely to the society, particularly with his recent contribution to the Ambrose Ali University (AAU), Ekpoma by building  a 600 capacity hall in the university, constructing a solar-powered street light in the campus, donating thousands of solar powered lamps fitted with radio and charging point for mobile phones to all students resident in the school hostel, and his over all contribution to humanity through his ministry. Other personalities who have made positive contributions in the society are Nelson Mandela, the first president of democratic South-Africa in 1994 who fought rigorously and vigorously for the end of apartheid in South-Africa, Martin Luther King (1929-1968) who was a non violent civil rights leader, Abraham Lincoln, former president of U.S during the civil war who contributed in putting an end to slavery in America, Ben Carson, the first neurosurgeon to perform the ground-breaking work of separating conjoined twin. Oprah Winfrey, a television personality and advocate of self-improvement. Pope John Paul 11, an influential pope who was noted for his spiritual qualities. Louis Pasteur who developed the cure for rabies and pasteurization of milk. Mozart, a musical genius who gave the world sublime music. John M. Keynes, an economist who offered solutions to great depression. Benjamin Franklin, an advocate for U.S. independence and polymath. Desmond Tutu, an opponent of apartheid and supporter of human rights. Michael Faraday, who through his discoveries of electromagnetism helped electricity to become widely available, Florence Nightingale, a nurse who helped improves conditions of hospitals and nursing. Mahatma Gandhi, leader of Indian independence and advocate of non violence, Omotola Jalade- Ekeinde’s contributions to the movie industry, her philanthropic gestures such as her active participation in the walk the World project, and bin the Walk the World campaign in Liberia, she is also a fierce Human Rights campaigner and activist, and she as well lent her voice in 2010 to the Rewrite The Future Campaign of save the children UK. She became an Amnesty International campaigner in 2011 and also lending her voice on the need to stop insurgency in the North East. In Lieu with this, another nolloywood actress, Genevieve Nnaji has also done a lot through her contribution to the development of women and children, her clothing line; st. Geneviev e donates percentage of its proceeds to charity-orphanages.
There are people that are out there in desperate situations just looking for  words of advice that will bring them out of that situation and problem; with that word of advice from you, you can bring out that person out of that problem. Therefore, you have too much to give to say you have nothing; all you need do is to take that bold step and begin to touch the lives of many around you. It could be by sponsoring children’s education, raising entrepreneurs in the society, volunteer a part of your time to touching the lives of many, and in several other ways you can contribute your own quota in your society. Always remember these words; ‘no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted”. Therefore there is need to start showing kindness to many around you by giving back to the society.
Zig Ziglar wrote; “you can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want”.  We complement and supplement one another, therefore there is a need to help one another, there is a need to give back to the society.
However, so many persons have overtime emphasized the fact that they do not know how to give back to their society, hence, there are suggested steps to help you on ways you can contribute your own quota to the overall development of your society and country at large.
EMPOWER OTHERS: The best way to make a long term impact is to help people help themselves. Empower others to reach for greatness, to believe in themselves irrespective of the fact that the society has not given them logical reasons to do so. Hence, to empower others, you have to volunteer your time to do so. The famous Muhammed Ali said, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” Empower others is a way of rendering service to the people.
REACHING OUT TO MANY IN YOUR SPHERE: You can as well contribute your own quota to the improvement of your society by reaching out to many in your sphere of contact. With the emergence of the various new media technologies, it makes the job easier and faster. Through various social media like Facebook, Twitter, various websites, you can give advice to people, proffer solutions to challenges people  are facing through words of inspiration that will uplift the lives of many, and in so many other ways. Begin to reach out to people in your sphere of contact, and positively impact in them, as in that way, you are giving back to the society.
MAKE YOUR PROFESSION A POINT OF CONTACT: You can also make your profession a point of contact back to the society. As a counselor, you can take out some days to render free counseling to those who need it, as an engineer, you can render free services to people. This is a way of using your profession to reach out to those in your sphere of contact.
SMILE ALWAYS: That warm, kind, and charming smile on your face can just be a way of bringing one out of despair. Therefore, learn to always put a smile on your face, as it makes you accessible to people. It also gives you the urge to do something in order to touch the lives of many around you.
ESTABLISHING NGOs: Establishing non-governmental organizations and various charity organizations is also a way of contributing your own quota to the betterment of your society. These NGOs, charity organizations, orphanages, and many more are ways of helping the needy in the society (those in financial, emotional, educational, psychological needs).
ORGANIZING PROGRAMMES AND SEMINARS: Through the organization of various programme (either aired on the broadcast media or organized in a place), and through various seminars and symposia, you educate and enlighten many on the importance of education, peaceful co-existence amongst others. By so doing, you are giving back to the society.
SPONSOR A CHILD’S EDUCATION: Several children abound who are unable to go to school, talk more of having quality education. However, these children can be assisted through willing fellows who can afford to pay their fees. These children can be picked off the streets into the classroom by people who can sponsor these children through school. Furthermore, it is also a way of giving back to the society.
Arthur Ashe wrote, “From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life”. Therefore, we need to begin to give back to our society, as through it, we touch the lives of so many.
In the same light, Erich Fromm wrote, “giving is the highest expression of potency. In the very act of giving, I experience my strength, my wealth, my power. This experience of heightened vitality and potency fills me with joy. I experience myself as overflowing, spending alive, hence as joyous. Giving is more joyous than receiving, not because it is a deprivation, but because in the act of giving lies the expression of aliveness”. Mother Teresa also once said, “at the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by “I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was naked and you clothed me, I was homeless and you took me in”. Hungry not only for bread but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing–but naked for human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks–but homeless because of rejection”.
Therefore, it is crucial to give back to the society by positively affecting the lives of many, as it is our social responsibility.