The Youth's Voice Magazine. Spring Special Issue.

Choices are what makes us human. We decide and sometimes we take our time. I think for me personally it was always an inside voice, more like a melody, or even a symphony. It was a puzzle I needed to complete, to know myself, and know what I could get to achieve. The world is a beautiful place, and the Earth is magnificent. I think there is nothing more important than to care for ourselves and all those who surround us, as well as to always give back to life. It is time that we embrace that part of ourselves that wants to create, not destroy.

Estefania Cardona Forero & Angshula Anondi Khan

NOW WHAT? What do we need to learn, be, and do to create the world of our deepest longing?

Our Festival is a time to elevate and celebrate youth-led education projects globally and reflect together on how we might deepen the connections between our many initiatives to create global momentum towards education transformation.

yaD 1Day 2Da y -3

Deepening our Understanding:

Other Ways of Learning

What do we need to learn to create the world of our deepest longing?

Expanding Ourselves from Ego to Eco: Other Ways of Being

Who do we need to be to create the world of our deepest longing?

Activating Global Youth Solidarity:

Other Ways of Doing

What do we need to do to create the world of our deepest longing?

The one meal a day never bothered me I've inherited my grandfather's immunity. I understand why you spoke in silence, The weight that held you ' s become mine in your absence

Uncle asked me if the red blood had come

It's been three years since it first came Girls my age are all married off

For reasons known to those that marries them off only

Hear that cry! It comes from my neighbor's house

A girl died while giving birth, not that she had to die, no

Had there been a hospital with medicines and doctors

She might have lived.

The voice of a disadvantaged teenage girl ransacked by traditions and practices that binds her, to not hope beyond hope. The only way out is for a hand to hold on to So she can be who she wants to be in a time behind the present, yet her yearnings are beyond this present time

Hear the ululations!

It's that time again when we suddenly matter

For only, it's our votes that get them there

Feeling all high and mighty, foot away from God's throne Hear their flatteries, empty promises again

A girl well educated is the pride of our country, they say Can't my uncles wait a bit longer?

Will I become just another statistic?

Another girl who died while giving birth?

Mother, I'm so young!

The lands no longer yield. The dry spells are cast even longer

Where's that hope, that promise?

I need it now more than everthat there's still hope for the future!

Why did you have to go?

Yet somehow you had to go for me to become me.

S t r o n g e r t o g e t h e r

Fred Sunday Mugisha

PHOTOGRAPHY

KELLY NJENGA

Fences: Behind the meaning of life

Fences, resonate with me every time I ask myself why all the things in the world that cause distress happen. In most cases caused by humans, I put myself in their shoes, not that I’m better than them. I have at times watched bad things happen and did nothing. The fence is a wake-up call for me to look deep into myself and see the past traumas that cumulatively cause stagnation or lack of progress in my development. And after this deep soul search, I find a way within which healing could be found for me to progress. I relate fences to be a stepping stone for the world if we paused for a moment and ask the question why? Then in between somewhere around those answers, we’ll be able to find solutions to our troubles around the globe. We are all good people in the world and need to find a way best to show the goodness in us and not in Chaos.

REBREAKING THE ODDS

KUMO WALTERS NSHOM

RE- BREAKING THE ODDS

It was in 2018 when I just completed high school in my country Cameroon. Still very fresh and eager to go to the university.

How it started

It all started when the GCE results were out and I passed with 5 papers having good grades My family members were so happy with my results and so was I As a society will have students like me with good grades have to do some particular courses with the idea that it will give them quick employment. My family equally got into this notion of me going to further education in something they believe will give me ready employment without even considering my options

Reflecting on who I am

The fight for purpose and self-discovery had just begun After reflecting and doing a self-introspection, I then ask myself what I wanted. What was my purpose? These questions kept on coming to mind. I had a path I wanted to follow, I had a way I was interested in pursuing and this pathway was driven by my purpose, self-discovery, and a burning desire Amongst all odds, my family didn't believe in who I was I had to fight to justify myself, I had to research to justify my choices and I had to explain myself countless times just to make them understand that my learning journey was not supposed to be determined by societal pressure but rather was to be determined by my purpose/ interest and guided by their wisdom Things didn't work well in this fight to justify and prove my choices for my studies. So it was still unclear to my family what I wanted to further studies in. But I insisted, I found strength and a sense of belonging studying liberal arts, focusing more on understanding the human being as a social being with complex situations

How society saw it

It was still the same old story of enrolling in a particular course because I had good grades and will get a job at the end of it all But despite the pressure, I didn't relent from continuously thinking about the way out I kept questioning myself about the right path for me, where I found joy, and what I found interest in studying I can still recall even when I got back to school to collect my result slip, I met a teacher who saw my results and asked what I decided to further my education in, I said in a liberal arts discipline. She felt disappointed and continued with the old idea of successful students taking a certain career path. She spoke to me for hours trying to justify society's choices

The support

At a certain moment, when I thought everything was shattered and almost giving in to pressure from both family and society, came someone I will call a savior, a teacher of mine. Who understood what I have been going through? He understood what was going on in my mind and encouraged me to follow my dreams and find my purpose Above all, he told me to focus on my learning development and that my studies must be purpose-driven. And in his words, he said, "My boy academic success is not a guarantee of life's success, you must go out of what might look normal, you must believe in who you are and you must see yourself in what you intend doing, by so doing you create and innovate, when you start succeeding the pressure will be over and you will be understood, for praises will come " His words kept me going Later in the family, just a single person, my mother understood my opinion on purpose-driven learning and thus she gave me her support to further studies where I found purpose and in a course, I was interested in

The afterma

After all tha of my family got, I decide Since then I community, It's been alm are happy w not only in m activities as community

My stance

After lookin to pursue a l a way to hel purpose-driv orientate par possible to g learning dev advocate and the opportun in the global and youth ac

My advice

As society e pursue your education is and when it

Kumo Walte

Stories

Youth x Youth

A TALE OF KET

by: Kinlo Ephriam Tangiri

My background

I come from Cameroon, a bilingual and multicultural nation. Approximately 80% of the population speaks French, while the remaining 20% speaks English. I am typically from the 20% of this population. Nkanchi is my village situated on the Cameroon-Nigeria border, providing a unique cultural experience.

However, this area is characterized by inadequate electricity, health care, educational infrastructure, and poor roads. At a very young age, I started realizing these limitations, and my curiosity pushed me to start engaging in community development projects and competitions carried out by the US Peace Corps.

Fast-forwarding to 2016, I completed secondary school but was unable to pursue further education in my village due to a lack of educational infrastructure As a result, I traveled to Nkambe to continue my studies Unfortunately, just three months after school resumed, the Northwest and Southwest regions were thrown into a devastating socio-political crisis, resulting in school lockdowns, destruction of public and private property, and, tragically, the loss of innocent lives

The devastating effect of this crisis and the numerous deaths encountered led me to flee my home country to a safe French-speaking region, Yaounde (the capital city)

This transition was a huge cultural shock given that I had to live independently with my three siblings while my parents stayed back home Although I was fortunate to leave my hometown for a safer region in search of security and education, many of my friends didn’t have that opportunity, leading to thousands of them dropping out of school while others engage in critical activities and early marriages According to statistics from Education Can not Wait(ECW) The anglophone crisis has resulted in over 2 million people being internally displaced, 200 000 deaths, with over 900,000 children dropping out of school The resulting consequences will be worse in the near future

My experience in Yaounde

While in Yaoundé, I couldn't help but notice the stark disparity in educational opportunities and quality between my village and the capital city It was my fervent wish to bridge this gap During my first year of high school in EHS, I began writing a mathematics textbook entitled Basic Mathematics Companion (BMC), with the aim of sharing the knowledge I had acquired with a wide range of young people, particularly those from my hometown This book was eventually completed in my final year of high school

My experience after graduating in 2019

Upon graduating in 2019, the world was suddenly thrown into a pandemic The COVID-19 crisis left my country struggling to simultaneously manage the devastating effects of the pandemic and the crisis, leading to a dramatic collapse of many sectors, particularly the educational sector

Kinlo Ephriam Tangiri

2020

In search of a solution, I decided to take my book, BMC, and convert it into a digital resource that could be used by anyone from any part of the world. To do this, I started a YouTube channel titled KET Academy. The response to this small initiative was overwhelming The demand for these resources and videos I shared from my tiny study table grew exponentially, and I soon found myself unable to keep up with the demand single-handedly

To meet the ever-growing demand, I had to expand my team and create a platform that could provide high-quality educational resources to students in my community and beyond I then went to share my vision with other young people to help digitize education, which ultimately led to the official launch.

Throughout our activities, such as creating study materials, organizing outreach programs, and hosting examination orientation seminars, I noticed that many young people were eager to contribute but lacked the necessary skills. This prompted us to launch a training program for ambassadors, equipping them with digital, communication, and leadership skills so that they could effectively volunteer at the academy

In 2022, the second cohort of ambassadors underwent two weeks of intensive digital training, certifying 25 youths in the necessary skills This was swiftly followed by outreach programs to educate other youths and the general population on the importance of education and peace.

Kinlo Ephriam Tangiri

Our impact

We have trained over 25 youths with Edtech, communication, and leadership skills

We have directly impacted more than 5000 students in Cameroon

We have indirectly impacted over 45 000 students according to YouTube and Facebook stats

We are currently working with 500+ students through our website and WhatsApp forums

We have created over 100 pdf documents With more than 90 + videos on YouTube

Our new platform and its advantages

During the official launch of KET Academy establish a website (https://ket-academy gi offered numerous advantages and opportuni many limitations and lacked flexibility In or more user-friendly experience with a wealth and learning outcomes, we have decided to platform

This platform will act as a bridge between s affected regions and those in non-crisis-affe allowing them to share their knowledge and Additionally, it will enable students to pair have private chats Ambassadors will be ab from their end, which will be supervised and members

This platform will be an invaluable compani looking to grow academically.

Currently, we are faced with a lot of challenges building this platform (We will be immensely grateful for any support and partnership that would help us construct this platform)

Conclusion

My overall ambition for my country is to one day establish a pioneering liberal arts college that will mold the next generation of ethical leaders through creative problemsolving and innovative thinking

This college will permit students to explore their interests in any field I am in constant search for knowledge, and as I move forward, I implement what I have learned so far through my organization, KET Academy, and I am confident that I can acquire the necessary skills and support to eventually realize this ambition

Letters

A LETTER FOR EVERYONE AFRAID TO SHOW UP.

By Adebisi

I WRITE THIS LETTER AS A REMINDER TO MYSELF AND TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAS EVER QUESTIONED OR DOUBTED THEMSELVES. I WRITE THIS FOR EVERYONE CURRENTLY QUESTIONING IF SHOWING UP AS THEY ARE EVEN MATTERS. I WRITE THESE WORDS AS A WEAPON FOR THE MOMENT'S IMPOSTER SYNDROME WOULD WANT TO BURY US WITH ITS LIES.

LET ME DESCRIBE US; WE ARE DREAMERS AND WE'VE GOT AMAZING IDEAS WE NEVER CEASE TO CREATE IMAGES OF WHAT COULD BE IN OUR HEAD. WE FASHION HOPE OUT OF PAIN, WE PROJECT A FUTURE OF BEAUTY AND POSITIVE CHANGE WE IMAGINE AND WE HAVE IDEAS ON HOW WE'D MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

YES, WE HAVE IDEAS, WE HAVE THINGS TO OFFER THE WORLD, WE HAVE SOLUTIONS THAT WOULD REVOLUTIONIZE THE WORLD, BUT HERE'S THE THING, WE WOULD RATHER HIDE WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE CARRY.

Amori

SO, ON ONE HAND, WE HAVE THE IDEAS, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IMPOSTER SYNDROME REARS ITS UGLY HEAD AND IN THE END, WE JUST HIDE, BOXING OURSELVES INTO A CORNER. WE HAVE NUMEROUS QUESTIONS LIKE: ARE WE GOOD ENOUGH? DO OUR IDEAS EVEN MATTER? WE QUESTION OURSELVES DAY IN AND DAY OUT. WE SUPPRESS OUR IDEAS, WE SUPPRESS WHO WE ARE, CHOOSING TO BURY OUR IDEAS AND ALSO HIDE WHO WE TRULY ARE AS A PERSON.

WE DON'T THINK WE, OR OUR IDEAS MATTER. OUR MINDS ARE USUALLY RIDDLED WITH DOUBTS.

I'M WRITING THIS FOR US HERE'S THE TRUTH DESPITE THE LIES WE MIGHT HEAR IN OUR HEADS: WE MATTER. OUR VOICES MATTER. OUR IDEAS ARE IMPORTANT, REVOLUTIONARY EVEN. THEY'RE POTENT AND THEY ARE NEEDED. SEE, THERE IS PLENTY OF SPACE FOR US AND OUR IDEAS TO THRIVE.

I DARE ASK US THIS IMPORTANT QUESTION: WHAT IF WE SHOWED UP RIGHT NOW, WITH THE IDEA AND SOLUTION THAT'S IN OUR HANDS, NO MATTER HOW LITTLE WE THINK IT IS? CAN WE DARE IMAGINE THAT ONE LIFE THAT MIGHT BE CHANGED JUST BECAUSE WE JUST SHOWED UP?

CLOSE YOUR EYES, JUST IMAGINE. YOU CAN THINK BACK TO THAT ONE TIME WHEN JUST ONE PERSON SHOWED UP AND CHANGED YOUR LIFE EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT. JUST IMAGINE.

PEOPLE ARE WATCHING AND THEY NEED YOU TO SHOW UP WITH THAT IDEA, THAT INNOVATION. A MILLION-MILE JOURNEY WOULD BEGIN WITH A STEP, JUST ONE, AND THAT ONE STEP CAN BE VERY SMALL.

Adebisi Amori

A LETTER FOR EVERYONE AFRAID TO SHOW UP.

By Adebisi Amori

YOU SHOWING UP DOESN'T CRAMP THE WORLD. THERE IS PLENTY OF SPACE. SEE, YOU ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PUZZLE AND IF YOU'RE MISSING IN ACTION, THE WORLD ISN'T COMPLETE. IT TRULY ISN'T.

SO FRIEND, WHY NOT START WITH A STEP. JUST ONE. THEN TAKE ANOTHER, AND THEN ANOTHER. CHOOSE TO KEEP WALKING, SOON YOU'LL FIND A RHYTHM THAT IS UNIQUELY YOURS.

IT'S OKAY IF YOU HAVE TO PLAN, BUT DO NOT HIDE UNDER THE DISGUISE OF PLANNING IN ORDER NOT TO DO OR SHOW UP AND EVEN AS YOU PUT OUT YOUR SOLUTIONS, BE TRUE TO YOURSELF.

THERE'S A REASON YOU EXIST AS YOU AND NOT SOMEONE ELSE

YOU SHOWING UP DOESN'T CRAMP THE WORLD. THERE IS PLENTY OF SPACE SEE, YOU ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PUZZLE AND IF YOU'RE MISSING IN ACTION, THE WORLD ISN'T COMPLETE. IT TRULY ISN'T.

SO FRIEND, WHY NOT START WITH A STEP. JUST ONE. THEN TAKE ANOTHER, AND THEN ANOTHER. CHOOSE TO KEEP WALKING, SOON YOU'LL FIND A RHYTHM THAT IS UNIQUELY YOURS

IT'S OKAY IF YOU HAVE TO PLAN, BUT DO NOT HIDE UNDER THE DISGUISE OF PLANNING IN ORDER NOT TO DO OR SHOW UP AND EVEN AS YOU PUT OUT YOUR SOLUTIONS, BE TRUE TO YOURSELF.

THERE'S A REASON YOU EXIST AS YOU AND NOT SOMEONE ELSE. YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD THIS A MILLION AND ONE TIMES, BUT THE REASON IT'S OFTEN REPEATED IS BECAUSE IT'S TRUE, AND AS SIMPLE AS IT IS, WE THEN DOWNPLAY THE ESSENCE OF THIS TRUTH BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S TOO SIMPLE.

YOURS, ADEBISI

Adebisi Amori

Breaking Down the Stigma of the "Impure Blood"

BY ADRIJA JANA

AS CITIZENS OF THE WORLD, WE MUST AT FIRST UNDERSTAND THAT THERE CAN BE NO SINGLE SOCIETAL PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS THE ENTIRE WORLD WITH THE SAME INTENSITY DEPENDING UPON THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION, LIFESTYLE, CULTURE AND BELIEFS OF THE PEOPLE, DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD HAVE DIFFERENT SOCIETAL PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH, EACH ONE IMPORTANT IN ITS OWN CONTEXT THUS, IN THIS ESSAY, AS AN INDIAN, I SHALL COVER THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT SOCIETAL PROBLEM THAT I BELIEVE AILS MY COMMUNITYPERIOD POVERTY AND THE STIGMA SURROUNDING MENSTRUATION

AS A GIRL, MY EXPERIENCES AND INTERACTIONS WITH PEOPLE REGARDING MENSTRUATION SINCE I WAS VERY YOUNG HAVE HELPED ME REALIZE THAT A LOT OF SUPERSTITIONS AND STIGMA STILL SURROUND THIS TOPIC IN MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS HOLDING OUR COMMUNITY BACK FROM SOCIETAL PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT

OPENLY DISCUSSING MENSTRUATION IS STILL CONSIDERED TABOO, ESPECIALLY MENTIONING ANYTHING REGARDING THIS ASPECT BEFORE MEN NO ONE IS REALLY READY TO EXPLAIN TO YOUNG MENSTRUATORS WHAT CHANGES THEIR BODIES ARE GOING THROUGH MY OWN MOTHER WAS UNWILLING TO DO SO WHEN I STARTED MENSTRUATING, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY A FRIEND OF MINE, THE SAME AGE AS ME, WHO EXPLAINED THE PHENOMENON, THOUGH VAGUELY AND WITH INACCURATE FACTS IT WAS ABOUT THREE YEARS LATER THAT THROUGH MY BIOLOGY BOOK, I CAME TO KNOW THE REASON BEHIND MY MONTHLY CYCLE

SUCH INSTANCES ARE STILL NOT UNCOMMON EVEN IN THE 21ST CENTURY, AND IT IS MAINLY THIS LACK OF AWARENESS THAT LEADS TO THE SPREADING OF FEAR, MISINFORMATION AND STIGMA REGARDING MENSTRUATION, AND HAS EVEN LED MENSTRUAL BLOOD BEING LABELED AS "IMPURE " BECAUSE OF THIS, MENSTRUATORS ARE OFTEN SUBJECTED TO UNREASONABLE RESTRICTIONS WHILE ON THEIR MONTHLY CYCLE, WHICH ENDS UP BECOMING AN OBSTRUCTION FOR THEIR PERSONAL AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

EVEN TILL THE BEGINNING OF THE 21ST CENTURY, MENSTRUATING WOMEN WERE TREATED AS IMPURE, AND NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO ENTER THE KITCHEN. THEY HAD TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR, OR WERE EVEN LOCKED IN THE COWSHED FOR THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE. THEY SUFFERED IN UNSANITARY CONDITIONS WITH NO ONE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. EVEN THOUGH THE SITUATION IS NOT AS SERIOUS NOW, THE STIGMA STILL EXISTS, ESPECIALLY FOR MENSTRUATORS WHO ARE DIAGNOSED WITH PCOS OR OTHER SIMILAR CONDITIONS, AS THEY ARE REGARDED TO BE "INFERTILE."

FURTHER, THE WIDESPREAD DISREGARD FOR THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY, AND THE LACK OF RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT NOT JUST CIS-WOMEN, BUT TRANS MEN AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CAN BE MENSTRUATORS AS WELL, FURTHER DEEPENS THE PROBLEM AND NEGATIVELY AFFECTS ACCESS TO PERIOD PRODUCTS BECAUSE OF WHICH MENSTRUATORS ARE OFTEN COMPELLED TO SURVIVE IN UNHYGIENIC CIRCUMSTANCES.

THE FIRST STEP SHOULD BE TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT MENSTRUATION AND THE BIOLOGICAL PROCESS REGULATING IT SO THAT PERIODS NO LONGER REMAIN A TOPIC TO BE WHISPERED ABOUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. THE SECOND STEP SHOULD BE IMPROVING ACCESS TO PERIOD PRODUCTS FOR ALL, BY FIRSTLY PROMOTING THEIR USE, AND BY SECONDLY CONDUCTING AND ENCOURAGING DISTRIBUTION DRIVES

THE FIRST STEP SHOULD BE TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT MENSTRUATION AND THE BIOLOGICAL PROCESS REGULATING IT SO THAT PERIODS NO LONGER REMAIN A TOPIC TO BE WHISPERED ABOUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS THE SECOND STEP SHOULD BE IMPROVING ACCESS TO PERIOD PRODUCTS FOR ALL, BY FIRSTLY PROMOTING THEIR USE, AND BY SECONDLY CONDUCTING AND ENCOURAGING DISTRIBUTION DRIVES

THE FIRST STEP SHOULD BE TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT MENSTRUATION AND THE BIOLOGICAL PROCESS REGULATING IT SO THAT PERIODS NO LONGER REMAIN A TOPIC TO BE WHISPERED ABOUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS THE SECOND STEP SHOULD BE IMPROVING ACCESS TO PERIOD PRODUCTS FOR ALL, BY FIRSTLY PROMOTING THEIR USE, AND BY SECONDLY CONDUCTING AND ENCOURAGING DISTRIBUTION DRIVES

MOTIVATED BY MY DESIRE TO ROOT OUT THE STIGMA AROUND MENSTRUATION AS WELL AS PERIOD POVERTY, I TOOK UP A LEADERSHIP PORTFOLIO IN A YOUTH ORGANIZATION WORKING TOWARDS THE SAME GOALS AS ME

I WORKED WITH THE NGO, "THE PERIOD SOCIETY" TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT THE SAME AND DISTRIBUTE PERIOD PRODUCTS TO THOSE IN NEED OVER THE COURSE OF ONE YEAR, I HELPED ORGANIZE DISTRIBUTION DRIVES, EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS, AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, AND ESTABLISH NEW CHAPTERS ACROSS INDIA. WE ARE HAPPY TO FIND PEOPLE AROUND US NOW BEING SOMEWHAT MORE RECEPTIVE TO THE CHANGING ATTITUDE TOWARDS MENSTRUATION FOR THE BETTER.

IT IS NOT TOO LATE YET, WE SHOULD COLLABORATE AS A COMMUNITY AND IMMEDIATELY START WORKING ON THIS EMERGENT ISSUE WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME, TO GUARANTEE A SAFER AND MORE EMPATHETIC FUTURE TO OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS. OVER TIME, THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS OF DRIVEN AND DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY, I AM SURE WE WILL BE ABLE TO ROOT OUT THIS PROBLEM AND MOVE TOWARDS A NEW HORIZON, A BRIGHTER HORIZON.

Adrija Jana

LEADERSHIP ESSAY

EVANS RICHARD ONYANGO

EVANS

ONE OF THE GREATEST GIFTS MY PARENTS GAVE TO ME, VERY EARLY ON, WAS A KEEN SENSE OF JUST HOW UNIQUE MY CHILDHOOD WAS. THOUGH BY NO MEANS A POSITION OF HIGH STATURE, MY MOTHER’S CLERICAL POST AT THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF KENYA IN MIGORI( A SMALL VILLAGE IN KENYA) PROVIDED US WITH AN IMMENSE ARRAY OF BENEFITS, AND THOSE THAT IMPACTED ME MOST WERE, UNSURPRISINGLY, THE PLETHORA OF CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS A SHORT WALK AWAY FROM OUR HOME

DURING MY UNDERGRADUATE WORK AT UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI, I DEVELOPED AN INTEREST IN LEADERSHIP AFTER SUCCESSFULLY BEING SELECTED AS THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI STUDENTS UNION UNSA. I’M MOTIVATED TO ADDRESS SOPHISTICATED PROBLEMS LIKE THIS FOR A FAIRLY NON-ACADEMIC REASON. THROUGHOUT THE LAST TWO YEARS, I’VE PARTICIPATED IN ORGANIZATION DRIVES WITH EASTERN AFRICA STUDENTS AND YOUTH ORGANIZATION EASYO, MY REGION’S LARGEST STUDENTS UNION. ADMITTEDLY, I CAME TO THIS WORK WITH QUITE PERSONAL MOTIVATIONS, HAVING SEEN MY MOTHER’S LEADERSHIP POSITIONS OFTEN UNDER ATTACK BY NAÏVE OR EVEN IGNORANT EFFORTS TO AUTOMATE VARIOUS ASPECTS. THIS WAS IMMEASURABLY SATISFYING, AND ALTHOUGH NOT EVERY NEGOTIATION WAS A SUCCESS, I WAS ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING UNIQUE TO A CLASS OF COLLEAGUES I FELT HAD SUFFERED UNDER AN OUTMODED AND OVERLY AGGRESSIVE MODEL OF LEADERSHIP FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS IN SHORT, I WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE GRADUATE WORK IN A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM BECAUSE I THINK MY WORK CAN HAVE AN OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE IMPACT. HAVE ALSO VOLUNTEERED TO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS UNESCO, ACCORD AND ALL AFRICA STUDENTS UNION AS A BOARD MEMBER

I WOULD ARRIVE AND CONTINUE TO BE AN ENTHUSIASTIC AND INCREDIBLY ENGAGED STUDENT AND BE HONORED TO ASSIST IN THE INCREDIBLE WORK BEING UNDERTAKEN BY BOTH FACULTY AND FELLOW GRADUATE STUDENTS ALIKE AS SUCH, I WOULD SEEK TO SERVE AS A PARAGON NOT ONLY OF INTERDISCIPLINARITY AND INTELLECTUAL INVENTIVENESS TO MY FUTURE STUDENTS, BUT TO CONTINUE TO BE A PRODUCTIVE AND PROMINENT MEMBER OF THE COHORT IF CONSIDERED FOR THE FELLOWSHIP AM VERY CONFIDENT TO BE THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THE FELLOWSHIP DUE TO THE DUE URGE TO FOSTER THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO GAIN DURING THE PERIOD AND HAVE EXPERIENCE TO PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO CHALLENGES AFFECTING MY COMMUNITY

Articles

Youth x Youth

YXY GLOBAL ACTION CIRCLE: AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE TO A WORLD OF ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

BY APRIL GRACE M. GARCIA

In the Philippines, one of our national heroes, Dr Jose Rizal once said, “Kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan ” (Youth is the hope of the nation.)

If there is one thing to summarize this whole article, that is the fact that there is an experience that made me see what Dr Rizal has seen. Maybe, the youth really has the power to change the world. It all started with an Instagram post. This a call for education activists all over the world to come together and go on a journey of learning and discovery At first, the words, “all over the world” were a bit frightening It was also a bit exciting to imagine, education activists all over the world would come together to address issues in their countries or in the world

Then, came a google form that asks what my learning question is Why is this question important and why should it be addressed? The process of filling out this form took me a while It also was quite dreadful In my country, there are a lot of issues regarding education that need to be addressed Despite my experience as a product of the public school education system from basic education to tertiary and despite indirectly working in the education system, I found myself asking what is important to me What is something that is also relevant at the moment? What is a pressing issue that needs to be looked into?

After a series of reflections, I decided to go on and continue

The weekend kick-off came and I met people of all kinds. They were activists for various reasons, but we were all working towards one goal

To make education accessible and more inclusive to all people from all walks of life. Despite all the things happening in my life, seeing these inspiring people work towards one goal, makes me feel happy, inspired, and emotional

Seeing young people work hard so that the younger generation next to them won’t experience the things they have experienced fills me with so much inspiration that this thought helps me anchor whenever I feel frustrated in the work I do

As of the moment of writing, I am still in the GAC program, but the experience it gave me is something that I will cherish for a lifetime Being able to see young people come together and have a safe space where their thoughts are heard and ideas are given importance makes me see that there is indeed a bright future where there are endless possibilities for the youths of the future

That is how I came up with my current learning question

To see how fact-checking can be taught to students, especially in a time when information is everywhere and overwhelming With this question in mind and in my heart, I decided to fill in that google form and hope for the best

At the end of the day, whether I get in or not, at least, I can tell myself I tried. Weeks of work passed and suddenly an email from YouthxYouth came saying, I got in! The emotions it gave me were pretty much mixed It was nerve-wracking and exciting all at once I consulted people around me on whether I should go on with this opportunity, especially since this journey is also a self-directed one. Would I be really able to balance everything all at once?

I am excited for the days to come. Hoping that the questions we asked in this circle will give birth to projects that will help the world in all sorts of ways Going against the norm may be lonely at times, but if there are more avenues for these people willing to go against it and change it for the better, then won’t it make the future seem more kind and loving?

BY MOHINI GOVENDER

Knowledge sharing is a sacred part of society. It represents the exchange of culture, ideas and practices through generations and across regions; however this sacred practice is not found within mainstream education systems In fact we see the polar opposite: the factory-like learning systems that are currently at the forefront of producing and distributing knowledge perpetuate divisiveness, monoculturalism and exclusive curricula. Discerning the origin of these toxic and oppressive systems becomes blatantly obvious when contrasting and comparing to systems introduced in the colonial era, addressing this allows us to see how inherently systems of education are neocolonial. To quote the great Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o who speaks to this in an African context “Prior to independence, education in Kenya was an instrument of colonial policy designed to educate the people of Kenya into acceptance of their role as the colonized. The education system at independence was therefore an inheritance of colonialism so that literature syllabuses were centered on the study of an English literary tradition taught by English teachers. Such a situation meant that Kenyan children were alienated from their own experience and identity in an independent African country.”

The continued subjugation under systems that solely uphold eurocentric knowledge and culture continues to distance us from our identities as people indigenous to land pre colonialism, to those lived experiences, identities and cultures. That being said, the act of unlearning, relearning and reconnecting to knowledge and values of indigeneity is an act of rebellion against systems that aim to preserve knowledge homogeneity. Decoloniality is a word that covers the themes we have been touching - a way of thinking that is separate from eurocentric ways of learning, and being in the world A philosophy that enables the transformation and growth of other ways of knowing and critiques imperialism and capitalism whilst addressing the fact that these systems are a direct result of colonialism. In a disconnected world that molds us into humans who live in servitude of socioeconomic systems & who are siloed from one another & the natural world, practicing decoloniality is a revolutionary act.

Mohini Govender

HOW CONNECTED ARE WE TO THE KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES WE ARE LEARNING? WHERE DOES IT COME FROM? WHAT IS OUR POSITION IN IT ALL?

THE CYCLE CONTINUES…

BY MUNA SATTOUF

I have always asked myself, why is it that many geniuses seemed to have dropped out of school or had mediocre grades? Thomas Edison was kicked out of school and homeschooled after that Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard Albert Einstein dropped out of school when he was fifteen Not to mention Mark Zuckerberg and Charles Dickens

Reality is, school cannot be a one size fits all For many students, school could be described as a prison: The curious are shut down, those above average become average and the average fall behind Grades no longer measure intelligence; they measure self-esteem. It is drilled into our minds that failing school means failing life, that we would have no future.

If you have a knack for the arts, you will still need to load your brain with information you would forget about a week or two after the test: you will learn about anything more than you learn about the arts. If you are passionate about mathematics, you will not be able to develop your curiosity into something more: if you use a different approach grades will be deducted (even if your approach is easier and faster), and if you try to understand the formula you will not get help, “just memorize it”. Was that how great mathematicians were born? They discovered the formulas themselves, so at least we should be able to understand them!

Imagine the number of Einsteins, Mozarts and Picassos the world missed because curiosity and creativity are not allowed, because being great at only one thing and mediocre at other subjects makes you a failure.

An even bigger problem is teachers’ pay. Teachers are underpaid all over the world, and this definitely has an effect on how they teach students. Teachers are preparing future leaders, they are helping students reach their dreams and ambitions. Unmotivated teachers might dismiss questions or get impatient with students, which makes them afraid of asking for help. And it is not even the teachers’ fault, our future depends on them but they are not appreciated enough.

Sattouf

Finally, high school students either have no questions during class, or they have questions but do not ask Compare that to a kindergarten class, where kids ask about all sorts of things Why the sharp decline in curiosity over the years?

A Human curiosity is very hard to kill, but school seems to be doing that just fine When voicing questions that are beyond what is written in the board or mentioned in the book, we will be told that we will know the answer next year, or we will be asked to not bother ourselves with it and to stop overthinking. Curious students will either not get an answer or wait too long to get one, until they lose their curiosity and confine their thinking to a cell fabricated by the education system.

It has been the same for ages: Monday through Friday, seven hours a day, cramping our mind with information. Regurgitating everything during finals, taking a three month break and forgetting everything. Then another year starts. First year, hopeful, full of dreams and aspirations, last year, striving to pass. Monotonous and dull, the cycle continues.

Muna

WILL I PASS THE BAR AT 22

Dindoyal

I didn’t even close my eyes properly last night I tossed around, scrolled on my Instagram, and casually texted my friends saying “ What’s up” “ Hope work is good” trying to endlessly trick my mind into thinking about other more heartwrenching issues; this emotional fallout, this sad pit that happened some time back, or whether I am gonna eat this donut for breakfast

I moved my cursor, my tummy yelling at me, that I shouldn’t have eaten that donut, where I frantically made my way to the dark horizontal line bar on my google doc, to adjust my font to Times New Roman, size 12 My hands are literally shaking, but I won’t tell you that because that would be too dramatic. I hit random letters trying to glue them together so that I can tell the world loud that I am overwhelmed. A brown girl, from an island, is overwhelmed, nothing fancy, totally human and mundane I ask, the next wise lightbulb, I know, Google You see, google, 0.70 seconds later, gives me this huge information buffet; on how to cure my anxiety. Run a bath, do a face mask, use those lush bath bombs, take a walk, eat chocolate and tell me to even breathe

So, I say Breathe Yeshna Breathe But, louder That’s what Google says

Yeshna Dindoyal

Yeshna

“When are they going to upload the results?” I frantically move my fingers, swipe my phone, and text my classmate this time.

When will all of this make sense? And it finally did A new notification. The screen shines.

Now this is an update, some two years later, and no, I am not going to tell you the story of how I passed the bar exams at 22 or 23. Because, that’s just the tip that you see from the iceberg far far away.

My name is Yeshna Dindoyal, and I was born in Mauritius, also known as Paradise Island, in the Indian ocean I speak around 4 languages fluently; English, French, Mauritian creole and Hindi While, I, walk on silky white sandy beaches, with wind up my beachy waves in my hair, and dip my toes in the luscious blue ocean, I realized that my voice has been lost.

My voice was not suddenly ripped from me by society, one fine day, from my chest, but it has been silenced, suppressed, and tucked inside very subtly, one day at a time until I came to the realization that it began to fade inside me, and it must get out. I must speak.

From being told to not give my opinion because I was born a girl, to being talked-down when I try to speak on social issues, issues that affect me and my generation; to being told that I am too young and naive, a wonderful journey of finding my voice back began.

So I created a blog, and started to write, anger in my every word, pain in every full stop, and hope between the blank spaces.

I wrote about women’s rights, bullying, climate change, periods and women’s health, education and gender inequality My voice did not flicker this time, it roared, and it reached many people across the globe who resonated with me, wrote back to me, and inspired them to use writing as a tool to change the world. Then this energy grew, I began to volunteer for social causes, was invited to host twitter chats, represented my country Mauritius at the World Resources Forum, and participated in the National Youth Parliament Now, there has been no stopping: I am a young woman, who is not afraid of speaking, and my activism journey has only started

Yeshna Dindoyal

THE SELF-MADE INTROVERT Sandra Eze

Do you ever wonder if you were born with your present personality or was it developed and established during the course of your interaction with family and society? How ever did you become an introvert, extrovert or ambivert?

In my case, I would choose the latter. I believe that I wasn't born an introvert but was rather made an introvert due to the manner in which I interacted with society over the years.

I remember my elementary school days, how innocent and happy I was back then with no insecurities to weigh me down. Dance, music, and sports; I dabbled in them all. I wasn’t the best but I didn’t care because I had fun. I remember how I used to lead the debate and quiz competitions, so bold and full of life. Those were the days I bloomed; beautiful and confident.

Junior secondary school was comfortable for it began while we were still our innocent little selves. No discrimination, no self-hate, no shaming or bullying for our flaws. We were friends and we were happy. All we cared about were our grades and our laughter.

Then came senior secondary school and the insecurities flooded in. I found myself slipping away little by little, pondering about things I had never noticed before. I started caring about looks and boys and weight, wondering what others thought of me. ‘Does that boy like me? Should I confess my feelings to him? Do I look pretty? Do I look fat? What if I don’t fit in with their squad? Do I act too smart or too dumb? What if I’m too poor to fit in?’.

Seems petty right? But back then, I thought those were the biggest problems in the world. I began to question myself till I got lost in the minefield. Having no clue on the right path back, I began to hide. I hid away from the world and the prying eyes until it became a habit, one I can’t seem to break away from. I got so comfortable staying alone they called me an introvert. Introvert indeed! I was just a scared coward. I had no memories of people, not because I couldn’t remember them but because I never had them in the first place. I was too busy hiding to live life. I soon forgot how to smile and laugh, finding joy only in movies and food. I watched as others moved on with their lives leaving me behind and I couldn’t help but wish I could live like them.

I got admission into college and that longing grew exponentially. I realized senior school had been heaven on earth. At least then, I had people and friends I had met during those days of innocence so I had never truly been all alone. Now, I had to start all over again. For the first time, I experienced society in its large and true form. I had to battle against the whirlwinds without the shelter my family and childhood friends had always provided; a privilege I had taken for granted. I realized how demeaning and condescending humans really were.

Gone were the school uniforms to enforce equality amongst ourselves. It is a free world, they said. Wear whatever you want and live however you want. And so I did, unknown to me the harsh judgment attached to every choice I make. They called it freedom, I called it enslavement. I became a slave to the rules and norms set by the ‘IT’ squad. Those who judged and pointed fingers at me without the exchange of a single word, the know-all's who gossiped claiming to know your inner thoughts without even knowing you; the real bullies amongst us.

And on the cycle went till I began to ponder on what exactly had gone wrong Were we the creations of the society or had our actions created the society which was punishing us in return? We live in a society where we cannot differentiate right from wrong We have turned all things abnormal so normal that we persecute the wrong people and fight for the wrong causes.

Do you know what’s worse? The fact that I have let this society define who I am or rather, who they want me to be. How pathetic! I can no longer tell my left from right. Covering up my pain and sorrows to fit in, hiding away my flaws and faults to not get caught, so much self-hate and loathing for the person I have become; all these in the few years I have spent in the so-called society.

Slowly, I have come to realize that my feelings and insecurities were all valid They were simply a process to self-discovery; a means for me to gain selfawareness and self- development

Now, I can say that it is okay for me to be alone as long as I can network and socialize with society whenever necessary. It is okay for me to hide away and cover up as long as I can let go and be vulnerable with the people I love whenever necessary. It is okay for me to be an introvert.

Sandra Eze

A BLIND GIRL'S BLIND BALLAD

Thatnight,Iwassoakedinthedepths oftheswiftlyhailingrain. Ifelteverybitofitsessence drippingthroughmysilkrobe

Thewindswayedandcaressed mywetblondhair.

Thesoggygrassgentlywas strokingmytappingfeet

AndIwassmilinggailylikeanidiot embracingtheboundlessbeautyof nature.

WhenIrealizedthatonmyway Icrashedintoapairofmusclyarms, thatwasthemomentIknew, thenature'sspellonmewasover. Icouldhearahoarsemanlyvoice ashepassedforthme, yelling"Areyoublind,Can'tyousee?"

Ifrozeforasecond, andthenbegantrembling, withtearsrollingdownmyeyes, whichweredevoidasoflight, asacoarsepaperisofink.

"I Iam I'mSorry"

That'sallIcouldsayafter pullingmyselftogetherand gatheringallthecouragethatwas leftinsomedeepdarkcornersofheart, andwalkedawaysilentlyin theleadenshadowsofiniquity

Yes,Iam!

Whothesaneworld mayknowasa"Blind"

ButIdobeholdasight thatlurksfromwithin. I'vegotapairwithin thebuildwhichbeats thatreliveseverysoothingmelody andeveryhauntingmemory, witheachnewbeat, andperceiveseverytouch throughthepaleskinthatcovers thefleshburninginagony

There are times when I offer profound condolences to self for not being able to look at the earthly shades of life

The lush green grass , The blue sea and sky and the seven colours of rainbow

But when I hear those dreadful voices scream "Are you blind?” or those deriding tones like "Oh! Poor thing! She's a blind"I take pity on all of them and on the world they live in They've got eyes and yet can't spy the tears beheld by these black “Blind” eyes

What is the cause of those specious eyes, the sight from which can reach out everywhere but to their numbed hearts? And the light from which can get to anywhere but their sleeping souls? Which can see all the sufferings but can't sense them not to the slightest?

I wipe off my tears and stretch my lips in contentment For what's there to see in a world where all are slighted yet so blind?

I achingly take glory in my own wild world

The world of my mad heart reigned by my sole soul Where all my angels and my demons , together laugh in ecstasy and together weep in desolation, embracing one another's flaws. They’re bound by no such lawless laws of big and small, of low and high, of right and wrong and of own and other They vaguely dance and cordially sing, from dawn to dusk and dusk to dawn, and so on Their merrying, their mourning, here melded gets all!

Ifyou'vebeenblessedbyheavens andhavebegottenenoughvision, toreadthismirageofmuddledwords, sitinsolitudeandaskyourself:

Who'sthe"Blind",fosooth?

Thosewhoeyeyetfeelnotaspeck?

Ortheblindwhofeels

waymoreofwhattheyeye?

Thosewhopassoffwhen

theydescrytumblingtears?

Ortheblindwhofeelsthedepths oftheirpangsastheycry?

Artworks

Youth x Youth

A R T

The entire artwork is created by me This is an artwork that shows the importance of time managing in our life. If we do not manage our time, we lose it. And it will not be gained again I have seen most of the people that are wasting their time, that is the main reason of creation of this artwork It shows half of a clock and a butterfly. The clock is representing time, and the butterfly is representing the importance of the time. As you can see, the butterfly is going to die It is same as we lose our time, due to not managing it. I consider this artwork as the meaningful artwork I have done so far

T A J A L A F A Z L I

A R T

Tajala Fazli

A R T

Everything feels chaotic and uncertain. I just want to take a moment to breathe.

A R T

A R T

F R O H A R W A H A B

A R T

THE YOUTH’S VOICE SEEKS TO EMPOWER YOUTH by creating a liberated safe space to communicate ideas and spark a revolution to transform education systems globally This publication is the embodiment of the innovation and creativity we need to reimagine the world we want to live in and embrace education as it should be for the 21st century

S P R I N G I S S U E