Teen Perspective: Changing the world

Here's a post written by 13 year old Isabel Fox. It appeared as a guest post on her mother's blog. It's a great read affirming the fact that anyone - young or old - who aspires to make a difference in the world, can.

People are constantly saying, “I can’t change the world. I’m only one person.” Well for me there has always been more to that saying, “I can’t change the world. I am only one teenager; one kid.” For a period of time I honesty felt this way. I felt that there was no way I could ever change the world. Then I started a class at DREAMS Center for Arts Education; though I signed up for a theatre class little did I know that it would end up affecting my life in such a way. At the start of the class the instructor (Ron Dortch) asked each student what they wanted to be when they grew up. I stood up and told him, “I want to be an activist”. Instead of staring at me incredulously or laughing; he looked at me and told me, “Then you will be an activist.” Those words gave me the strength and encouragement I needed to know that can I be an activist; that I can be an activist now; I don’t have to wait until I am older.

At the same time my mom began working with ONE. This gave me numerous opportunities to use my voice. I can sign petitions, I can go to government meetings, and I can even write letters to my senators and representatives. I went with my Mom to work at ONE table’s and spread the word about ONE because it is truly making a difference.

Near the end of my time with Brother Ron he asked us to do a faith project. I wrote a monologue and to end this post I would like to insert a section of that monologue.

I believe in a lot of things. I believe that peace is more rewarding than war. I believe that love can conquer hate. I believe that we will one day be able to work together and end global poverty and the spread of AIDS. I believe that everyone has a voice that needs to be heard. I believe that education is the tool to the future. I believe that I CAN make a difference in the world.

My faith is simple, I want to live each and everyday to the fullest and not care what other people think. I want to make an impact on the world today. I want to prove that anyone anywhere in any day and age can do anything they put their mind to.

Activist Now,

Isabel Fox

Talking Point: Africa in prime position for 'green economy'?

UN reports [see comments section for discussion points!]:

Africa is well poised to take advantage of a host of opportunities on the continent for building a ‘green economy,’ one that generates decent jobs in an environmentally sustainable way, a senior United Nations official said today.

“This continent is in many ways the envy of the 21st century world,” Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), told African ministers of finance, planning and economic development gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“Africa is rich in the kinds of natural resources that in many parts of the world have been over-exploited and diminished by centuries of unsustainable development,” he stated.

This includes not just precious and semi-precious metals, but also nature-based resources such as forests and biodiversity, which support tourism and could also underpin inventions and pharmaceutical breakthroughs.

At the same time, many parts of the continent are rich in so-called natural fuels such as wind, solar and geothermal.

“The fundamental question,” said Mr. Steiner, “is how will all this potential be harvested for the benefit of Africa’s citizens and in a way that promotes stability in Africa and beyond.”

Do women leaders matter?

Here are Nicholas Kristof's thoughts on the issue:

There’s a natural tendency to think that the oppression so many women face around the world is just a function of male exploitation, and that the solution is simply more women leaders. In fact, a quick look at Bangladesh shows that it is far more complicated than that. Bangladesh has a woman prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, who has done nothing much for women – and who now is pursuing a campaign of vilification against Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who has been a champion of impoverished women all around the globe.

Yunus, as you probably know, was one of the founders of microfinance and started Grameen Bank to give impoverished women a chance to start businesses and generate income. He has helped millions and millions of women in Bangladesh and in a growing number of other countries around the world, and he has also been a formidable advocate for equal rights and opportunities for women. Indeed, it’s difficult to think of two individuals who have done more for the women of the world over the last few decades than Yunus and another Bangladeshi man, Fazle Abed, the founder of an extraordinary Bangladeshi anti-poverty organization, BRAC. Microfinance is no panacea, but 8 million Grameen borrowers in Bangladesh are testimony that it can make a difference.

But when Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize, many Bangladeshis – especially politicians like Sheikh Hasina – were jealous. An abortive political bid by Yunus also left them nervous that he might pursue a political future. And Yunus has a talent for self-promotion that left some Bangladeshis carping that he’s a showboat, that his model doesn’t work, that he was out for himself, and so on. In the last month or so, Sheikh Hasina has persistently gone after Yunus, pushing him out of his job at Grameen Bank and pursuing legal charges against him that block him from traveling and could send him to prison.

What next for Sudan?

Former UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Sir John Holmes tells ONE what he expects in South Sudan over the next few months.

The results of the referendum in South Sudan confirm that 2011 will see the birth of a new state in Africa. Rejoicing in the south has been unconfined, as people see the goal they have long dreamed of coming to reality after so many years of suffering and war. The Government in Khartoum have said they will accept the result. They should be taken at their word and held to it, whatever our doubts about their long-term intentions. Elsewhere in Africa, there is concern about the breaking of the convention against changing colonial boundaries, but a warm welcome for the new state nevertheless.

I have been to Juba several times over the last four years, and talked to many southern leaders and ordinary people. I share their sense of achievement. The question now is whether fears of South Sudan as a failing or even already failed state at birth are likely to be realized or whether the enthusiasm and commitment we see now can be turned into a new drive for progress and development. So, what are the opportunities and the challenges?

The opportunities lie in a renewed sense of purpose and unity among the southern leadership; the commitment to make a success of this adventure from their people; the new influx of talent and ideas from those returning to their homeland from the north and elsewhere; and what I hope will prove to be a lasting determination of the international community to accompany the south on this final leg of their journey, even if it takes 10 years of hard struggle. They also lie in the size of the new country, its ample fertile land and water, and the possibility of undiscovered resources beneath that land. Juba has boomed in the last few years, even if much of the growth is not so soundly based for now.

The challenges are clear and multiple. This is a country starting from a very long way back, even after more than five years of effort since the historic Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Government capacity remains very low. Basic services like health and education are poor to non-existent, and those that do exist too often provided by international NGOs, not the government. Infrastructure is also virtually non-existent, with still less than 100 miles of paved road in a country the size of France. Travel around many of the states is difficult at the best of times and more or less impossible during the rainy season. Rates of child and maternal mortality are among the highest in the world. Agriculture remains rudimentary in many areas, with for example much of the food for Juba coming from neighboring Kenya and Uganda – a scandal in such a fertile country. Even the ubiquitous cattle are regarded for the most part as a way of amassing and demonstrating wealth, not an active source of income.

The unresolved issues with the north need to be tackled decisively before they fester –- Abyei, debt, borders, oil, citizenship, etc. The list is long and many of the items on it are highly sensitive. There are also tricky questions about those left in the north, in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, who are also supposed to be consulted about their destiny. Some risk feeling abandoned in a potentially hostile environment without international help.

Leadership blog goldmine

Keeping up with blogs is an easy way to get up to date information on the topics that matter most to you. It's easy to find a blog on just about anything these days. The question becomes not how to find information, but where to find it.

Netherlands based blog Noop have put together a list of the top 150 Leadership and Management blogs. The list is not exhaustive, not by any means, and what they define to be 'good' by their standards may not be the same as everyone else. However, it's a great resource to have on hand; a starting point for research if you like.

They've complied a list of blogs and their corresponding Twitter pages (if they exist) which adds another helpful dimension (excuse the shameless self-promotion, but you can follow us on Twitter here if you aren't already). I've listed their top 10 blogs below; you can have a look at the full list here.

TT	Site	Author	Twitter
1	The Blog of Tim Ferriss	Tim Ferris	tferriss
2	Leading With Purpose	Michael Hyatt	michaelhyatt
3	Anthony Robbins Training Blog	Anthony Robbins	tonyrobbins
4	How to Change the World	Guy Kawasaki	guykawasaki
5	Daniel Pink	Daniel H. Pink	DanielPink
6	Management IQ - Business Week	(various)
7	GTD Times	(various)	gtdguy
8	Life Beyond Code Blog	Rajesh Setty	UpbeatNow
9	Dispatches from the New World of Work	Tom Peters	tom_peters
10	Three Star Leadership Blog	Wally Bock	wallybock

Happy blogging!

YLMP mentee's feedback questionnaire

As you will already know, we had our last mini seminar for the current programme last Friday. Evaluation is an integral part of the mentoring process, and we have been trying to do that in many ways: the Appraisal Forms, the Assessment Sheets, etc. We developed a feedback questionnaire for mentees to fill out, I thought it would be nice for you to see a selection of their responses (good and bad). Here they are:


How has your behaviour and character changed since starting the programme?

“At first, I used to misbehave in class. I did not know my aim but now I have changed because of the programme.”

“I have learnt to be disciplined at all times. And how to be punctual.”

“It has helped in choosing my future career.”

“I used to think that I was not going to be able to do things the intelligent student could do but now my spirit is high and I have the courage and faith to do things. Through this programme I am doing very well in class.”

“I have really had a great experience as to knowing what I can do even as I am young. I also know that in everything I should think positively and I have changed for the good.”

‘Well to be honest I am someone who is quite shy and with a low spirit but with the help of this programme I have been able to overcome these challenges so I am no longer with a down spirit and no longer shy.”

“Friends say I behave like a matured or elderly person.”


How have your academic habits changed since starting the programme?

“My academic habits have changed a lot because since the programme started we had a lot of talk about how to use our time wisely. I have learnt how to schedule my time especially to learn and to save with the little money I have.”

“My academic performances has really changed a lot, at times I find things difficult but through this programme I believe in the can do spirit and I work towards it.”

“It has helped me to be serious in class.”

“It’s quite normal not all that extremely better but has improved from its previous state. Because during the programme we were taught how to learn and using those methods has moulded me to someone better.”

“My academic habits have improved, examples are elective maths and core maths. I am working hard and I am not giving up until I have gotten what I want.”

“I have been learning hard to improve on my academic performance and to pass my exams.”

“Yes, I was very weak in some subjects but through this I have been able to achieve my goals.”

Success stories

I know you are all aware of the benefits of mentoring, especially if you work with the YLMP. This being the case, you will also know that mentoring can be challenging at times. I found a few quotes - 'success stories' from various mentoring programmes - that I want to share to encourage you to push through the tough times. Hope you enjoy the read! :)

By mentors:

"Over the past 3 years of serving as a mentor, I have enjoyed myself tremendously. I feel that my fellow mentors and I have made a significant impact in the lives of our students. What I have enjoyed most about the program has been interacting and getting to know my mentee. For an hour each week, I get to escape from my world and return to simpler times of elementary school. Whether talking about music class, field trips, or the latest book report...it is refreshing to see life from a different perspective."

"I have enjoyed being a positive role model. Greeted with enthusiasm every visit, it is warming to see that my presence is so greatly appreciated and that simply by being there to talk and help with homework, I can make such a large impact...I have enjoyed the simple pleasure of taking time out of my hectic schedule to interact with my mentee on a personal level."

"At first I was very nervous and I didn't really think it would be very rewarding, and didn't really think I could be effective. However, now I realize how little it really takes for these kids to get something from me, and now I look forward to it every week and try to encourage all my co-workers to get involved."

"While it is a great feeling to give back to my community, it is even more rewarding to see the direct impact mentoring has on individual lives, mentors and mentees alike. To be able to be a positive role model in a child's life, who may not have one otherwise, is a feeling unparalleled for everyone involved. My experience mentoring has inspired me to dedicate the rest of my life to helping and educating others, who I hope in turn will continue to pay forward the wonderful gift of mentoring in the future."

A little housekeeping

Afternoon all! It's been a while since I personally addressed you, and I'd like to take a minute or two to do that. To all of you who have followed the blog since we started, thanks for sticking with us. And to those of you who have recently joined, welcome!

The blog has gone through a number of changes since it was first created. The first - and probably the most significant - was the removal of the privacy settings to read the blog, which made it more accessible to everyone. More recently, I removed the settings that required you to be a member of the blog in order to leave a comment. These changes should (hopefully) make it easier to get around and should improve the exchange of ideas.

The content of the blog itself has been evolving since it's conception and will continue to do so. The tag cloud, 'We've been reading...' pages, and the Facebook group widget are all products of this. What I'd like to do now is to involve you in this process. Is there anything you would like so see that is not on here? This can include anything from applications to the contents of the posts themselves.

While it's impossible to guarantee that every suggestion will be implemented, I'd love to hear from you. Now the restrictions of commenting have been lifted, no excuses :)

Plastic waste management: How you can help

The following is an article on plastic waste management written by Aba Tetteh, one of our senior mentors. Thanks for your contribution Aba!


When they first came in they were great. Thinking about convenience and affordability, we ignored the havoc it could also create: the Menace of Plastic.

Less than five years ago, the use of plastic was not the norm; now, you cannot buy anything without being given a plastic container or bag to put it in. It is important to note that despite the fact that plastics have made life easier for us in terms of being convenient and affordable, plastics do not disintegrate or decompose easily, and as a result we are battling with how to get rid of our plastic waste in an environmentally friendly way.

Here, I seek to illustrate some things we as individuals can do to manage our plastic waste. In the absence of a nationwide management of waste, we can reduce our plastic use by following simple principles of management.

As a nation, we need to learn how to sort out our refuse. Sorting makes it easier for waste management companies to pick up our waste and recycle it without having to pay extra for people to sort them out. Ghanaians are willing and able to dispose of rubbish in containers that are provided, and this is evident by the fact that when waste bins are packed with waste that have not been picked up, most people still go out of their way to cramp rubbish into the container. When we get into the habit of sorting out our waster materials, the two recycling companies we have operating in the Ghana, namely, Ghana Waste Recycling and Zoomlion Ghana Limited, will find it easier to pick up the sorted plastic waste. Getting people to adapt a habit is tedious especially if there is a lackadaisical attitude about it. It is a matter of principle, self-awareness and individual policing. In order for this change to take place, we will have to inculcate the habit of sorting our rubbish, starting in our schools and homes.

In the meantime, we can look at reducing our use of plastics by applying the 3R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. How many times do you buy stuff from the market or while walking in town? How do you normally carry such an item or items? Is it in your handbag, carrier bag etc, anything reusable? Oh, here is a thought, you probably would buy a plastic bag or be given a plastic bag by the seller; this is what we would typically do. When we get home, we throw the plastic bag away without a second thought. How about instead of throwing that bag away, we fold it up and keep it stored away. Plastic bags vary in texture and durability. You can use the less durable bags to line your rubbish containers or for wrapping certain items. With the more durable plastic bags, you can reuse them as carrier bags. Remember to keep a carefully folded plastic bag in your handbag or wallet ready for use whenever you find that you need it. This bag can be used for about four or more times before being finally discarded.

How do you know when mentoring works?

The following was compiled by Ann Rolfe, a leading mentoring specialist in Australia. This is what she had to say about mentoring:

Whether you use sophisticated metrics or simply ask participants, it is important to gain feedback on mentoring to evaluate whether the relationships worked, made a difference and contributed worthwhile organisational outcomes. Plan to gather both qualitative and quantitative data before, during and after the mentoring.

Success Indicators - identify what you can measure pre and post mentoring to gauge benefits;
Early Follow-up - check in with people soon after the program launch to ensure that they have made contact and begun the mentoring relationship;
Monitor - stay in touch, build two-way communication, identify any potential problems and resolve them sooner, rather than later;
Mid-point Review - get the group together, face-to-face or via webinar. Workshop what's working well and what could improve. Help them create strategies to gain the most value from their mentoring
Finalé - a final group session gives closure to participants. Make it special and acknowledge their contribution. This is the time to recognise their achievements and take feedback for improvement for future programs. Questionnaires can be used to elicit their evaluation and quantify qualitative input.
Post-program - schedule review of longer-term success indicators at appropriate intervals. Mentoring will show immediate benefits but the greatest gains come from the enduring effect of mentoring.

Mentoring as a one-off event may be indelible for individuals but mentoring imbedded in the culture is the ultimate measure of success. If the benefits of mentoring are to be perpetuated, it is what you do after your mentoring program that will determine if mentoring works.

(SOURCE)

Note: Ann Rolfe's blog has been added to our 'Interesting Blogs' widget on the right hand side.

Student Perspectives – Kinbu Library

A form two student, Elizabeth felt that the library was not an interesting place to be because the books were outmoded, and also not relevant for the courses they studied. She felt that if there were some new and interesting books in the library more students would be encouraged to read. She added that she sometimes spent her break periods in the library. She did mention that the library period had been taken from their time table this term.

Julien Kofie, a second year high school student said he never visited the library because he’d heard the library did not have the economics and geography textbooks he needed. He rather frequented the Ghana Library to study and conduct his research. He mentioned that he would visit the library often if the textbooks he needed was provided.

SHS3 Home Economics student Kafui admitted that she does not use the school library because the books are archaic. She stated that they do not have a library period any more. The last library period they had was when she was in SHS2. She says she would like to see books that are more relevant to her course in the library.

Written by Abena, David and Elinam.