In a Country Torn Apart by Religious Extremists and Civil Unrest, Emmanuel Ivorgba is Forging a Path to Happiness in Nigeria
“Very honestly… this has transformed my life.” – Emmanuel Ande Ivorgba
Emmanuel Ande Ivorgba has a focused dedication. His goal is to give the youth of Nigeria every opportunity that young people in the rest of the world have. It hasn’t been an easy task but it is one that he is passionate about.
Emmanuel was one of the original educators associated with the Project Happiness organization. He and several of his students were featured in the Project Happiness film and his journey with the organization – from working with the students and educators from the other countries to meeting the Dalai Lama – touched him on a level he never anticipated. He was so inspired by his work with Project Happiness that when he returned to Nigeria, he resigned his position and founded Creative Minds Academy – an educational institution that has gone on to be a world-class school that focuses on ethics and character for building an honorable and productive society as much as educational basics.
Religion is a sensitive issue in Nigeria so Emmanuel’s secular approach to teaching ethics through both Project Happiness and Creative Minds Academy has resonated with the young people he works with. Emmanuel has taken the lessons learned with Project Happiness and developed a curriculum at Creative Minds Academy designed to promote cultural understanding and harmony between those of different ethnic backgrounds and provide equal opportunities for all students regardless of race, gender, language or religion. As Emmanuel puts it “My aim is to give every child the opportunity to achieve their potential in learning by developing their personal, social and intellectual skills.”
Gang Member to Peace Maker: Through Project Happiness You CAN Change
“Inner peace is more valuable than anything and it is something I have because I have chosen empathy over revenge.” – Buntheoun Hack
When you look at Buntheoun Hack, these are not the words you expect to hear from this 25 year old but that only proves you shouldn’t judge someone on how they look. Buntheoun is the Director of Operations of the Estria Foundation, an organization that focuses on shifting social consciousness on social and environmental issues education, art projects and community events globally.
When Buntheoun first became associated with Project Happiness, he was anything but a community leader. An immigrant from Cambodia whose family was struggling to make a go of it in their new home of Oakland, California, Buntheoun quickly fell in with a gang and started getting into trouble at school. at home and with the law. He really wasn’t happy with this lifestyle and the only thing he was finding as an outlet was art. He decided to take a chance and join a group headed by Estria Miyashiro who painted graffiti murals around Oakland. As Buntheoun got more involved with the project, Estria introduced him to Randy Taran of Project Happiness and through her organization, she began working with him to develop social and emotional skills like compassion, love, kindness and patience.
The idea of compassion resonated so deeply within Buntheoun that he began to make the personal changes embodied by Project Happiness and apply the skills he was learning to all aspects of his life. His grades began to improve, his relationships with his family got better and he became more active with Estria and on using his graffiti art as a medium for positive social change.
Today, Buntheoun is a productive member of his community and continues to be an active part of the Project Happiness organization. He is an itegral part of the Estria Foundation which is working on a project called Water Works, painting ten murals in ten cities over ten months to draw attention to the current worldwide water crisis. He also co-owns and operates a t-shirt company and works on the production of the Estria Invitational Graffiti Battle. Through everything Buntheoun does, he approaches it with love, compassion and respect for individuals and the community around him.