Originality is the essence of true scholarship. Creativity is the soul of the true scholar. Nnamdi Azikiwe Many of the young women we work in our youth clubs with will end up in jobs that don’t yet exist. We can’t predict the future, but we can help young women to develop the crucial soft skills […]
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To be a youth worker is like being a mother – the children and young people are always looking at you. They may be listening to what you say, but what they are really learning is through observing. We talk about empowering women, but are we kind to volunteers? We talk about leadership, but do […]
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style. Maya Angelou Empowerment is a word that we may see European and American donors and funders use when they give money to youth clubs in Africa. It is a […]
I wouldn’t have called myself a youth worker. I just thought I was using my time and talents outside of work to help young women. I can see that there is so much need around me. I didn’t realise that there was a specific word for this type of work, or so much written about […]
I know many university students and recent graduates in my community. Honestly, sometimes I am disillusioned. Many of these girls are from families who have invested so much to get them through school and into university. These girls have studied so hard to persevere through their studies and to graduate. It breaks my heart to […]
Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Nelson Mandela Usually, when we think of education in Africa, we think of classrooms, teachers, and notebooks. We think of learning equations and vocabulary, preparing for tests and jumping through hoops to get to the next level of schooling. Not long ago – maybe a […]
When you run alone, you run fast. When you run together, you run far. Zambian Proverb The great adventure of working with young women is that it never ends. Your community will always have new challenges and opportunities as girls need encouragement and support to thrive. The more you listen to your stakeholders – the […]
We once had a big grant for our work. We had paid a professional proposal writer and she then left after writing the first year proposal. The project continued, and the person who was asked to take this on was new on the project. We realised we needed help. We didn’t understand indicators, and many […]
No one is self-sufficient. And it’s not a one-way thing – the generosity of spirit from one side provokes a response in kind from the other side. Desmond Tutu Ask, and you shall receive There are many people looking to be generous and share their money and resources, but asking takes time and planning. Do […]
Be careful, think about the effect of what you say. Your words should be constructive, bring people together, not pull them apart. Miriam Makeba Most of us have a Marie, the family friend who has gone on to be successful, and Ibrahim, the local boy living far away who wants to give back, and hopefully […]