John Prendergast, co-founder of the Enough Project www.enoughmoment.org and co-author of The Enough Moment shares how he arrived at his enough moment in this clip. The moment when he could no longer stand on the sidelines and watch the ongoing human rights abuses committed against innocent civilians living in some of the most dangerous and poorest places in the world. 

From that moment he committed to get in the race, stay in it, and to stand up and  speak out against injustices that at the time few were taking on. Well not anymore, change is on the horizon. There is a growing movement of people just like John that have reached their enough moment and are standing in a NOW! moment. They want to do something right where they are to change what they can no longer stand by and watch. I am one of those people and this is my story.

It all started as a result of a trip abroad to Northern Uganda last September where I spent a couple of months working as a conflict prevention intern with Mercy Corps. The trip really left me fired up about taking the next step to work abroad in post-conflict zones attempting to create something…anything that resembles development. The goal was to make a real impact on extreme poverty and reverse that menacing trickle down effect that seemed to promote only making the rich richer and keeping the poor poor. I had high hopes that I could play some part in turning it around and into something that might be more quickly felt by those most marginalized and living on the edges of society.

I had thought I might achieve this working as a Foreign Service officer but a turn of events led me onto another path when I was invited to interview for a USAID position but neglected to be one of the choosen few to join the many working abroad in conflict zones. It was in that space of change and challenge that I decided to commit to make a difference even if I had to take the lead and start my own initiatives. I had gone abroad to intern, moved to Dc and relocated my family all on the pretense that I was going to make a difference and the fact is I still am.

The one thing I learned from my experience in Uganda that was invaluable and has become the cornerstone of my growth as well as my approach towards creating development, positive change and peace in Africa is the fact that Africa has a lot to offer beyond it’s resources. There are many bright eager people who have the initiative to create the positive change that they seek but lack the resources to make it happen. On the other hand we living as Americans in a society full of opportunities and resources that many can only dream seem to lack the initiative at times because we question whether we can make a real impact. Well I’m here to say you can.

It is here that I stand today. Working at the grassroots level, supporting campaigns working to solve the issues in the Congo and taking the initiative to make change happen however minuscule it may seem. I’m taking the initiative and the resources within reach to insure the voices of those who feel they may have no voice are heard. And on the days that I am challenged with wondering if my actions are really making a measurable difference in the lives of those who need it most I am reminded of something Lisa Shannon founder of Run for Congo Women said and I am immediately brought back to a space of clarity. “It is in “showing up” that we can achieve change for the Congo and the impact of that “showing up” is sure to be so great that it may not even be measured in one lifetime.

I am convinced that she is right and in fact it is a call to action to respond right where we are to do something…anything to change a response of inaction, into a now moment of Enough!