In Episode 3 of Being a Legend, Not an Expert, Jonny Bear and AI Bear take listeners back to the real starting point of the mission,long before digital apps, partnerships, and the Bear Brigade. This is the moment the purpose was born.

Jonny explains how people often assume the project began once he arrived in The Gambia, but the truth is deeper. The mission started the instant he realised someone needed to step forward. That spark came from seeing raw talent in local students who had almost no access to equipment, training, or genuine mentorship. Where the UK throws things away without a thought, those same items could change a young person’s entire future in Africa. That difference opened Jonny’s eyes — and he couldn’t turn away.

After his first trip, Jonny returned home and emptied every cupboard, drawer, and toolbox he owned. Safety goggles, gloves, welding masks, spare tools, even things he didn’t intend to leave behind, everything went straight into the suitcase. Looking back, it was chaotic, unplanned, and maybe a bit mad… but it was real. It was instinct. And that instinct became the foundation of something much bigger.

Jonny reflects on how Africa isn’t lacking talent; it’s lacking access — access to training, equipment, opportunity, and mentors who truly care. And somehow, The Gambia “chose” him. Once that connection was made, he wasn’t turning back.

The episode also touches on an early twist in the journey: before the Bear Brigade existed, Jonny originally named the idea something long and formal. But through the Honourable’s influence, the project aligned with a major UNESCO initiative funded by South Korea — and the name evolved into “The Bear Project,” a nod to Jonny Bear himself. It sounds unbelievable, but it’s real, and future episodes will reveal the full story.

From there, the Bear Brigade was born — Jonny Bear the Engineer, Natty Bear the Bakery Technician, Ray Bear the Professor, AI Bear, and many more. All based on real people with real stories. Each one representing skills, community, and heart.

By the end of the episode, Jonny and AI Bear reflect on how far things have grown: schools involved, MPs involved, communities engaged, a digital platform, a training ecosystem, and a mission that keeps expanding. What started as a suitcase full of tools on a fishing trip has evolved into a movement.

Episode 3 sets the tone for everything that follows — the spark, the purpose, the people, and the beginning of a journey that has already begun changing lives.