Life Threw Me Lemons; Lived on The Streets, Had Life Threatening Asthma and Degenerative Eye Problem But Now I am Having My Lemonade – Benson Kiragu

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“My life has been a roller coaster of unforeseen and unprecedented events, but I am proud of whom I have become.” Benson Kiragu outlines as he begins to narrate his story.

I was raised by my grandparents with my two siblings in Uasin Gishu county, Kenya. The year of my birth is unknown to me, but I settled for 1985 when I was applying for a birth certificate.

The year 1992 marked the beginning of a dark phase in my life. The tribal clashes associated with the general election rocked my life and that of my family. Despite us having a home my grandparents were squatters. When the clashes began our home was torched and we had to run for our lives. 

Truth About Being a Young Adolescent

I am an angry and mad teenager. I believe I have a right to be angry and annoyed. Angry at everyone in my space. This includes me. I know being a teenager is being between the ages of 13 to 18. That it is supposed to be exciting and fun at the same time. 

It is a stage of me turning into an adult where I’m expected to make mature decisions that will determine whether my future is bright or doomed. Why am I angry again? I’m angry because I have a million things crisscrossing my small mind but with a few options of who to turn to that wouldn’t judge me. The adults are supposed to understand me. My peers are supposed to love and accept me and I am expected to fully understand myself. And yet none of these people understand me. I don’t even understand me. So I’m mad!

Vulnerability is all about being Human

Take off the mask. Put your guard down. Enough about hiding your insecurities. Today I want to talk about vulnerability. Yes! Vulnerability.

I have found that many of us look at vulnerability as a weakness and we all dread the thought of being open to people about those things we are not proud of doing or the things we are still doing that we never want people to find out about us. 

It Is Time We Practised More Self-Compassion than Compassion

“I want to be a Child Protection Champion for teenagers, Can I? Is it possible?

“Corazon that dream is way too big for you to achieve! “

“You are too weird and too ugly to fit in! You just do not qualify “

  “Your shape and form look like one of a lion. You cannot be beautiful in anything you dress in.”

“You deserved the rejection from that friend! You deserve all that is happening to you and more. That is what you get for setting your standards too high!”

‘They will laugh at your stupid ideas and opinions”

What Access to Justice Meant Growing Up as an African Child

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Today we mark the International Day of the African child. A day marked to honour ten thousand black school children who took part in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 to protest poor quality education and demanded to be taught in their own language. Hundreds were shot and hundreds killed in the protest. This day has been celebrated every year since 1991. (Wikipedia)

The theme of this year's celebration theme is Access to Child-Friendly Justice System. This theme has made me think of access to justice which starts at home; with family being the first point where children learn about justice and access justice.

Effective COVID-19 Messages For Children; Episode 2

Unhabitat.org 

Kenya’s first case of Covid-19 case was reported on 12th March 2020 and the numbers have continued to rise drastically with 607 confirmed infected persons, 127 recoveries, and 29 deaths as of 7th May 2020. Many more citizens are getting tested and the numbers are still expected to rise.

Sadly children are part of the above statistics given to us by the Ministry of Health. World statistics and facts about the exact number of children infected and survivors are not known due to child protection issues.

Effective COVID-19 Messages for Children; Episode 1

World Health Organization has assessed that COVID-19 is a pandemic that is spreading across Counties and Continents across the world. As the Virus continues to spread it is governments are working hard to put prevention and control measures to ensure that their populations are safe.

Children are Global Citizens. They are key in the fight against Covid-19. The only message we are giving our children is to stay home, wash their hands and wear a mask. This is very true, but I believe more clear information on Covid-19 given to children by Parents and Caregivers will go a long way in reducing the spread of the Virus among them.

My Teacher Defiled Me at The Age of 8 Years but Now I Take My Power Back; Sofi Buwembo

April is sexual assault awareness month and I feel this is the best time for me to share with the world my experience as a young girl. 

I was sexually assaulted by my teacher when I was 8 years old. I was in P.3 at Kibuli Demonstration School, Uganda. My abuser’s name was Sheikh Serubogo and he taught I.R.E in lower primary.

My teacher took me to his house and as a lamb being led to the slaughterhouse, I went with him not knowing what would befall me. 

A Stalling Career and Broken Relationship Pushed me to Depression – Kaka Tim

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Nairobi has always been the proverbial land of greener pastures. To seek these greener pastures Kaka Tim came to Nairobi with high spirits and there is nothing he looks forward to like financial freedom. Before getting on his feet, a kind cousin offered to host him.

“My career took longer to pick up, but I remained optimistic.” Kaka Tim explains. He caught a break and got a writing engagement where the payment was based on several words. Tim worked so hard and was able to get a decent income monthly. This at the time was adequate to cater for his monthly bills.

Grace Muthoni: My Journey to Self-Discovery Made Me a Teen Mom

“Being a petite and short girl has been one of my greatest challenges. Despite struggling to accept myself, I was bullied by others for the better part of my schooling years.” Grace outlines with great emotions.

Grace Muthoni Maina is a firstborn among two and she describes her childhood as normal and simple. According to societal standards, she was described as a good girl, lovable, disciplined, and very outspoken.

The Narrow Escape that Never Was

Courtesy: nytimes.com

Growing up there was always something to look forward to. Do not get excited, it never was that serious but just ‘a narrow escape’. At every stage, I look forward to the next available ‘escape’.

I am told as a toddler, I looked forward to going to school since all my siblings were already schooling. In pre-school, I looked forward to Primary School because I wanted to be in the same school as my elder sister. No sooner had I wished for it than my parents took me to that school; there was some drama involved but that’s a story for another day.

Ambrose Kamya: The Love Child Of Teenagers Who Has Fought For His Silver Spoon

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“For the better part of my life, I struggled with the feeling of rejection and a sense of belonging. What has kept me going is my zeal to work hard and prove to the world that I have so much to offer for a better world.” Ambrose begins by pointing this out.

Tell us about your childhood and upbringing

I was born in 1989 to teen parents in Kayunga Village in Eastern Uganda. My father and mother were in Senior four and Senior two, aged 19 and 18 respectively. 

'Grieving & Healing After Loss' Book Commentary by Allan Bukusi

I met Allan Bukusi last year and the first thing he did was purchase a copy of my book, 'Grieving and Healing After Loss'. Several days later, he sent me an email that moved me to tears because it spoke to my heart.

Today I wish to share with you the following words from Allan and I hope they will speak to you as well.

Suicide Awareness and Mitigation

Courtesy: The Book of Man

Suicide is among the top 20 leading causes of death globally and at the same time the second leading cause of death among the youth between the ages of 15-29 years.  According to WHO close to 800 000 people die due to suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds. 

In Kenya, about 4 people commit suicide daily. However, this is just an estimate and there is the worry that the number could be higher given that suicide is not always indicated as the cause of death.

Parental Absence and Effects on Children

Definition

Parental absence is the temporary or extended absence of one or more parents. 

Parental absence can be because of a mental illness, personality disorder, or something else such as a job, career goal, or educational endeavor among other reasons.

Is It For God's Glory?

Courtesy:icl.org

The morality debate is currently trending and has been trending for some months now in the country. All of us have our own definitions and perception when it comes to differentiating and understanding what is really right and wrong. We can defend and justify our actions and behaviors to others with all the energy in us. 

Today’s society has an added advantage compared to the society in the seventies and eighties. Technology has opened our eyes and ears to the world. People are more open-minded to a lot of things from relationships to accepting and embracing other people’s cultures. 

Letter from the Other Side

Courtesy: Yale Daily News

To whom it may concern

It has taken me so long to write this letter but I think it’s about time. Probably because I have had enough time to think about it and found the right things to say. Maybe it is also because I am now on the other side and what I say or do will not make much of a difference. Either way, I chose to write this letter at this time.

For the longest time, I kept wondering, “How did I get here?” I mean, my life had just begun and I had so much to achieve. 

My Life, Their Demands!

Courtesy:PinInterest

Today I want to throw a tantrum on behalf of myself and others who are tired of social demands and expectations constantly being thrown at their faces.

 

Every person’s life is a different script according to God’s purpose and will for our life. But  to most human beings we are all are expected to have the same script. Society expects you to go by its rules expectations and demands.  My plea to all of you out there is to Just let me fill out my script.  

Compare and contrast is one of the major causes of stress and depression in this modern world. Stress and depression are among the leading causes of suicidal deaths in Kenya and the world. 

My Thoughts, My Choices, My Happines.

"Thoughts are the shadows of our feelings, always darker, emptier, and simpler." Friedrich Nietzsche. 

A thought is an idea or opinion produced by thinking or occurring suddenly in the mind. Approximately 60,000 thoughts run through the mind in a day and 95% of those thoughts are the same as yesterday and the day before yesterday.

According to Wikipedia, Thinking is the mental process in which beings form psychological associations and models of the world. It is manipulating information when we form concepts, engage in problem-solving reason, and make a decision.