5 Easy Ways to Make the Best First Impression

Image | Courtesy

With the digitization of every aspect of life, most people are slowly losing their interpersonal skills. These skills have been proven to be critical for those seeking career advancement or business development.

Interpersonal skills begin from the point of first contact and hence the need to have a spectacular first impression. It is unfortunate that human beings are wired to judge you based on your first impression despite what else you have to offer.

Why I Struggled to Celebrate International Youth Day this Year?

Photo | Courtesy

If you have interacted with me in person or through digital platforms you know I am an avid advocate of issues affecting adolescents, youth and women. 

Any efforts going into these cause I will cheer on with my heart and soul. This year I felt challenged or rather constrained to celebrate International Youth Day (IYD) a day I have celebrated for a decade now.

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

Photo | Courtesy

“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

Photo | Courtesy

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.