BRICC Ladies Graduation

Yesterday the latest group of women graduated from the BRICC (Building Relationships In City Centre; www.briccjos.com) women's skills programme.  If any event celebrates what BRICC is all about it's a ladies graduation.  The students, their relatives and friends, all in their best clothes, gathered in the courtyard of the Plaza building where most of the women's classes are held.  The BRICC male stalwarts came along to support (and not only for the food, glad as he always was to eat it, Monday assured everyone).  The sun shone and person after person got up to testify about what BRICC meant to them.

Veronica, amazing co-ordinator

Veronica who took over as co-ordinator about six months ago told us "Now I know what the meaning of my life is." She defined BRICC as "giving joy to those who are crying, hope to the hopeless and bringing the future back to those who thought it was lost.
"Go out there and share the love," she instructed her students.

Some of the students are already doing that.  Even before they'd completed the course some Muslim women had started going to the Christians' homes to bake and sell together.  Since the crisis in Jos these areas had been more or less no-go for Muslims; not only are the BRICC friends now visiting each other but they've invited the Muslim water sellers and shoe-menders to return to those streets as well.
One speaker said, "Plant what you've learned in others.  If you put it in your pocket it'll die."
Another exhorted the women to take what they've learned to all people.  In fact there have been requests from other areas for a team from BRICC to visit and train their people in how to start a women's skills programme.  We might well be spreading before long as the women are just as enthusiastic as the men to pass on all that they've learned about cake and peace making.

The two students who spoke, one Christian, one Muslim, ended the session happily.  "BRICC has put a smile on my face," said one.  "BRICC is a very special place," said the other.  "I'm very proud and thankful to be here."

We gave out the certificates and finally got to sample the doughnuts and bottles of fizzy drinks that had been tantalisingly waiting at the side.  We thought that was it but then women appeared with plates of jollof rice, coleslaw and meat for everyone.  They'd already been making money by selling their baking and wanted to make their graduation extra special for everyone.  It was: a proper party and great advert for BRICC in the neighbourhood .