How do we promote positive living among young people?

[ukeme okon]

Every single step we take as young people involves risk. We want to be like our friends, movie star, musician, not minding the consequencies of actions being it positive or negetive.

I remember some couple of years ago, i was faced with alot of challenges and responsilities. I never enjoyed my childhood, my mum left me in the care of my aunt when i was just a year and 6 month. My aunt never showed mea motherly care and was always yelling at whatever i do. Sometimes i will be locked indoor for days, no friend, no good food, very few cloth and this whole thing affected my growing up. All most my eyes while trying to sneak out of the house, i ran into my brother who was holding a breakable plate and gave me a deep cut, was immediately rushed to the hospital.

I saw my mum for the first time when i was 16yrs. Had alot of bad friends who were into smoking and gambling and i became one of them. My parent had to move me to a rural area, real community setting.

So i had a new life, kind of a regeneration. Met with The Salvation Army Africa Regional Team, they were on SALT Visit to community and i was with my Football team when they started a conversation with us.

I later joined the team to Salt visit as an interpreter and this great opportunity as helped me to reconcilled with myself and have been helping other young people in promoting positive living.

How do we help develop and strengthen leadership capacity among young people across our community? How do we help connect homes and community facing similar issues?

Especially increasing care in the home and other settings ownership for response.

 

[Autry Haynes]

Dear Ukeme, a real moving real life experience. I sincerely congratulate you for taking courage to share this experience. reminds me of P=G+E: P is who we are, our personality; G is our genetic make-up; and E is the environment in which we grow up. Generally, as with your experience E influenced you negatively but because of your good heart (G) you were able to recognize  that the E was not doing you good and make the necessary change. AM sure you are and will continue to be a model for your peers and other youths.

 

sincerely Autry

[wiwin winarni]

Dear Autry;

 

Really thanks for your  P = G+E formulation, this such a unique combination of nurture and nature. Sure I've been provoked to apply it to my personal life.  Your formulation also obviously make me able framing Laurence;s experience and her mother's nurturing that develop her today personality as my initial practice of this formulation.

 

Bunch of thanks Autry and Laurence

 

wiwin

[Laurence Gilliot]

Hi Ukeme,

 

Thanks for sharing your story. I believe that we grow from the difficult moments in our life. They are an opportunity to become stronger and to learn. And that's what you did. It is not easy...

 

My parents always trusted me and that gave me a lot of self-confidence. Even when I was a small child (maybe 4 or 5 years old) they would send me to the shop to buy bread or groceries. People would be so surprised to see my on my little pink bicycle. My parents trusted me. Because I didn't want to loose their trust, I respected them a lot.

My parents also always asked my opinion on any decision, even as a child. They considered me as a 'person' not a child. 

For me these are two important elements that help young people.

Laurence

[wiwin winarni]

Dear Ukeme;

 

Your story life is really touching. You're just simple a brave little boy who grows up become wise and brave heart men now. It's not easy then reconcile with your own, forgiving your mom and brother.  Thanks for transferring such a brave life spirit to me.  

 

Warmly

 

Wiwin from Indonesia

 

On Communication, I also find that it's about believe on how we communicate with other.  It's nit just about what we talk about how we talk.  Sometimes language barrier our communication. But I believe every body has mental language at our schema  that enabling us understanding commonalities on conveyed message through smile, gesture, hand shaking and other.  Just be brave and honest to your heart then I believe our communicants will retrieve similar message we're trying to convey or communicate