Givers Arena

Givers Arena uses WhatsApp Communities to Support the Needy in Nigeria.

Adex Adebukola has had her fair share of challenges. The 41-year-old Nigerian is from a humble background and could not afford enough food for her family.

She prayed to God to at least bless her with two meals a day, and in return, she would pay back by helping others.

In 2017 Adebukola had a financial breakthrough which allowed her to launch a thrift wear business in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest commercial city. The business was successful, and to fulfill her covenant with God, she created a Facebook group to crowdfund for assistance and connect people in need.

“Sitting down, I’m like, what will the name of the group be?” she recalls. “I will bring givers together so that I can bless them, and you, in return, will bless people, and that was how the name “Givers Arena” came into existence.”

Adebukola registered “Giver’s Arena” as a charity and in 2017 migrated many of her Facebook group members to different WhatsApp groups to “bring givers and receivers together.”

Staffing limitations made it difficult to manage all the groups across Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, and the United Kingdom so she decided to try WhatsApp Communities, which meant she could accommodate all of the groups in one place.

“Life’s easier with Communities,” says Folashade Oluwatobi, a “Givers Arena” Admin who manages six zones across three states in Nigeria. “I can post once, and all six groups get the information at once.”

"On Communities I also have the option to limit members’ ability to join multiple groups and benefit from freebies from another location closer to them. They can see other groups but can’t join, only the admin can allow them,” Folashade said.

WhatsApp Communities also guarantees privacy and gives the ability to shut down negative messages and coordinate with other Admins to handle sensitive issues such as domestic violence. It has now become a de-facto warehouse for evidence, to be used against perpetrators.

“The end-to-end encryption ensures privacy and assures all parties involved that the content is safe,” said Folashade. “You can also delete the group and messages forever.”

As for people who are yet to try out WhatsApp Communities, she says, “They are missing out on a lot. Unless they don’t want to have a close relationship with multiple groups. As a charity that supports individuals, it is imperative to have this closeness.”