how did it all start?

How did it all start?

The idea of TASTE started in 1987 when our founder, Ben Udejiofo, had a conversation with a friend who, quoting from Psalm 34, said "I have tasted and I don't think that God is good". This concerned Ben who, as a Christian, had found by experience that God is a God who is good to those who trust Him.

Ben believed that "faith without works is dead" and that his faith had to been seen in a practical way. Consequently, Ben was challenged to demonstrate by his life that God does make a difference in this world and the place that Ben felt he should start was in his 'home' community in Achi. The people there had no easy access to drinking water and Ben, as an engineer, believed that God wanted him to use his skills to help his community.

In the following years Ben contacted engineering companies working in Nigeria to gain funding or practical support for a water project in Achi. This support was not forthcoming and so Ben decided that, rather than fight a lone battle, he should enlist others to help by setting up a UK-based, registered charity.

TASTE was the acronym that best described Ben's vision for his community, that our support should be in the form of professional expertise which could be transferred to the Nigerian setting and that would be sustainable over the long term.

From the outset, Ben and his colleagues TASTE should be a Christian charity, underpinned by Christian values.

In September 1999, TASTE was registered with The Charity Commission for England & Wales and began work in Achi with a feasibility study which took place during the Summer of 2000. In June 2002, Mark Lipdo was appointed Project Manager, based in Jos, and TASTE was under way. Under Mark's guidance, an office was established, staff were sourced and work began in earnest early in 2003.

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