My Wish List

How many times have we wished we could have been taught particular things in life that would have come in handy in life? Today I have made a compilation of my wish list far all that I wish I had been taught, but wasn’t, or other stuff that would have made a difference to my life.

1. Financial Management
I wish I was taught how to manage money, how to have discipline while spending that money, know where it comes from, how it is earned and maybe that would have let me appreciate it and know how to control it. Isn’t that what spending is about? Controlling where your money goes?

2. Career Development
I wish I had learnt career development, what different options were out there, how to build slowly to achieve particular career goals.

I wish I had a mentor, to give me a helping hand in my career development. To give me a model of what is needed to achieve my goal.

I wish that I could have someone actually look at my road map (not just file it) and discuss it with me. I wish we had a review together once in a while and check on my progress, or lack of.

3. School
I wish that I would have learnt good studying habits early.

I wish that study time was more than time to get together and socialize, or sit around table and play pranks on each other.

I wish that someone would have take notice of what I was actually studying in school instead of waiting for graduation day to know, or even bounce on my supposed graduation because I did not qualify to graduate.

I wish teachers could be more specific than “could do better”. Never made any sense to me, and never me gave any idea of what they wanted out of me.

I wish we also had a library membership so that I could read more books like my friends, and not have to read them during class time because they have to be taken back.
(Got into trouble with my teacher for that once)

4. Society
I wish I had learnt how to be myself and not part of the group. I wish I could have found a way of eliminating the feeling of ‘loneliness in a crowd’ earlier.

I wish someone could see me as an individual and not one of many.

I wonder what would have been different had my wish list been seen by someone who could have done something about it.

Today’s challenge
Pick any item on the wish list and change a child’s life today.

Read On

Does anyone remember how the drawers in the Craft Center used to hold volumes of books? This was the “library” of sorts back in the days and even though the books were very old, some of the stories were still fresh. I remember one particular title “Anabella takes the plunge”. The only reason the title stuck to mind was, I learnt the meaning of the word plunge two years after reading the book. That was when I was finally taught how to use the dictionary.

I confess some ignorance on the issue of the village library’s existence; it may still exist as we speak. I know there is a reading tent activity every vacation though, but I wonder what the practice is in between. My interest in this matter was sparked after reading Ben Carson’s “THINK BIG”. I was reminded of our students (here I go again). Ben Carson’s story can be compared to what we are experiencing right now in the village. he was not doing too well in school, watching too much television, etc. His mother encouraged him to read a book a week and that opened his mind, gave him more knowledge and improved his interest in studies. I was left wondering if this is an activity that can be introduced in the villages. Have book reading contests with some small incentives to encourage reading.

I know such activities need planning and organization. No extra employees are needed. This falls under the education department I presume. So voila! We have the educator and a few of the youths assisting, and the program is off its feet. Remember how the youth used to be in charge of the chicken coup, under the supervision of the village father? I believe we have a lot of untapped talent in the youth and they will be willing to assist in the activities when called upon.

Stocking the library can be a two pronged activity. It can also be a PR activity used to inform the public on SOS work in the community.

Today’s challenge
Are you reading a book this week?

Of Second Chances

Thanks for the word of welcome. I would not mind an assistant seeing that I chose the hard road of endless projects. I am also afraid the next one seems to be time consuming as well. Send me an email; sobga-times@hotmail.com

I agree with you about the situation it is certainly a “catch 22” kind of scenario. Don’t get me wrong though, I am for the students going back to school. Only if they do what we sent them to do there (read yesterday’s challenge). The other problem of treating the symptoms and not the disease can be solved if we work as one unit. We are a family and every family has its head, members, rules, and points of discord; let us work through the discord together and any compromises made within this unit should not be seen as relinquishing control.

You point out in your comment that the move to bring the students back may be seen as a revolt against the administration; heaven forbid that anyone puts such ideas in their head. The fight that was won by the student was not that over power, but of chance. A second chance. A second shot at making something out of their lives. Only by realizing this will they be able to go back and do what is required, even expected of them. We on the other hand are now accountable if any of the students fail. It will definitely reflect lack of judgment on our part, and will also be used against us as a point of reference next time we lobby for an issue. The students have a tough time ahead of them; all our eyes are on them. There are high stakes on their performance. I just hope they keep this in mind and not let us all down.

Let us all work together as a family on this if we cannot agree on any other thing. Let us all take part in helping each other in any way we can. We are not experts in the game of life, but we have been where the students are. We know the challenges. For that reason, we are experts of sorts in SOS life, so lend a hand.

Today’s Challenge
Today’s challenge is for you all to respond with comments, or send me email at; sobga-times@hotmail.com

NARC (Nothing Actually Really Changed)

I am back from the land of endless projects and deadlines. I would like to send a shout out to all the graduates this year(welcome to the real world. Hope you got yourselves a pair of bata bullets for the tarmacking).

And back to today's topic. After months of meetings, discussions, and finally compromise, the students who had been removed from school will be going back. Many may see this as cause for celebration but I don’t. For some reason I fear we are in deeper than we think. Before you accuse me of being a pessimist, let me explain my reasons.

What was accomplished by bringing back the students to school? We took care of the symptoms and not the disease. The problem as we all know is that students are failing in school, as much as we may lobby to keep them there, the trend will continue and the results will be the same unless change actually takes place.

I suggest a complete overhaul of the system, let us make changes within the system that will actually attack the problem and not keep it off until the next time it rears its head. I suggest that each of the players has a role to play to assure the students success.

Students
The students have to realize that it’s a high time they took charge of their life. They should get mentors who can help them improve on their study skills; assist them in making life goals and setting priorities.

Mothers
Start early. Teach children how to study, dream big and structure their lives. Encourage the children to read at least one book a week, give them examples of people who worked hard and aimed high so that they know goals are achievable, and most of all, give them endless support and opportunities to build confidence.

Village Fathers
As the family head, you set the standards, your expectations from the children is reflected by the decisions you make, and the opportunities you present to the children in your care. And remember, your actions always speak louder than your words.

Educators
Set your priorities, you are not a disciplinarian and should not be seen as such. Your role in a student’s life is more of a councilor. You are the student’s eyes to possibilities through education so get informed of as many possibilities open to students as possible. They will thank you for it. Your belief in the student’s performance should always be positive, remember a good performance is partly a result of self confidence in a student.

Youth Leaders
Dealing with adolescents is not easy, but adolescence is the break, or make stage; you should never be limited in your views of the youths’ achievements or you will end up shattering dreams and lives. Do not play favorites; we are dealing with people’s lives here.

Today’s challenge

To all those who resumed school, please prove me wrong. Let your results say that something changed, that it was worth taking you back to school.