Ashoka
Ivory Coast ??
RESIGNATION FROM THE BANK
Passionate about financing and supporting SMEs, JJA, a business banker, is going through an existential crisis and is questioning the value of his work and his relentless pursuit of profitability. He feels the need to take a break to reflect on what truly matters. That's why he decides to participate in a retreat at an eco-friendly center in a forest not far from Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire, DIDIER DROGBA ;)
During one of his walks in the forest and praying rosery, he discovers an eco-friendly visual storytelling contest related to cocoa. JJA decides to participate and get involved in the game. However, secluded in this center with deafening silence, he realizes that he does not have the necessary equipment or portfolio for this cocoa contest. Resigned and with a sore soul, he decides to postpone this stillborn project.
Suddenly, from the depths of the oratory, a piercing noise echoes, pulling him out of his melancholic prostration. The bell indicates the imminence of the next activity of the retreat. And what an activity! Snack time! Ah, the snack time of Opus Dei centers, by far the most appreciated activity of the retreatants. There's nothing like a good snack to forget the pain caused by this hypothetical Cocoa photo contest.
To his surprise, he sees a snack made of coconut. Coconuts to console himself for the failure of the cocoa contest. An idea then comes to his mind: what if, instead of cocoa, he takes an artistic photo of coconuts and makes it the support for his cocoa story for the famous contest? He immediately sets to work.
JJA carefully works on his photo, creating a centered background composition, highlighting the beauty of the garden, and adding texture to the photo. Finally, he succeeds in creating a beautiful and unique photo of coconuts that showcases the beauty of nature, the resources it offers, and its vulnerability. Not to mention the immaculate shadow in the background that illustrates the eternal and timeless nature of the moment captured by the lens.
We are now at the deadline for the contest, which happens to be the end of the retreat. Whatever the outcome of the contest, JJA has already won... He returns home with a new perspective on his life, the world around him... and his job as a banker. A job that will take a new turn in line with his "new" mission: Make it easy, fun and profitable for people to DO GOOD...
By now, you will have understood that I am JJA. This spiritual retreat has rekindled in me Empathy and the desire to bring about change, and above all to encourage others to become changemaker.
While I am writing these lines, I have just resigned from the bank to be in charge of fundraising for the social businesses in my country. Above all, I've found my mission, a mission that sparked so many ideas and initiatives in my head that I couldn't spend one more day in the bank as usual: then I QUIT.
This is my Story...and It's just the begining.
MAKE IT EASY, FUN AND PROFITABLE FOR PEOPLE TO DO GOOD...
JJA