Type
Topic
Country
The haunting in the oceans
The Easter bombings: Breaking the cycle of violence
You wouldn’t believe how light a bomb feels in the cradle of your own arms. I remember the warm yellow sand of Batticaloa beaches, pillowy grains sifting between the grooves of my size two feet. Seaweed lined the shore in slimy patches that we tiptoed around, searching for shells hidden among the green carpet. A brisk wind bounced along the rolling tide, and yet all we could feel were the steady waves of the sun beating down on our backs. With a toothy grin and an oversized cap perched on my head, I posed for a photo, brandishing in my arms a landmine the size of my head. That day, we...
Love yourself anyways.
When the sky is all gray And you can't find joy out of your favourite sundae When the heaviness of the winds leave you pale And you can't mold ease out of clay Just remember to close your eyes and exhale everything away And find gratitude in how you've handled it all day And even if you can't Just love yourself anyways.
Well it should be a yes, right?
What if your mother tried very hard to stick to a very packed schedule, yet couldn't do so? Now she's tired like never before. She thinks she's a failure. What would you tell her? You'd hug her, tell her that you love her and that it's okay. Right? What if your father couldn't buy you your favourite toy when you were younger. Now, he can't buy you your favourite car? He thinks he's a failure. What would you tell him? You'd hug him, tell him that you love him and that it's okay. Right? What if your sibling messed up a really important performance because of their stage fright. They think they...
Developing a kinder society to make the world better
When I see news about terrorism, I feel sad. Why do people blame each other's religion? When I see so much racism around, I feel confused. Why should people be selective of other people, if we are same? Sometimes, I think...is it too hard to be respectful, tolerant and good? When terrorism is everywhere and it stands in the name of Islam, it's pretty scary. People start to judge Muslim's and say that we are terrorists. I'm Muslim and it hurts to know that your religion is being mistreated like that, almost everywhere. One day, my friend had to move abroad due to her parents' work. She told me...
DevOcean
Scream
So often, I dream of climbing the highest of mountains, where I can feel the sky’s soft skin with the very tip of my fingers. I can just picture it: standing on that mountaintop, the world so small underneath, the loud grasping wind awakening my soul as it blows violently against my face. I can just imagine the air cutting through my lungs and tearing them open, the taste of salty blood caressing my throat. Oh but mostly, I can hear myself. I can hear myself scream. I would scream as loud as my lungs can possibly bare, right until my voice turns into just a whisper. I would scream to fill the...
The smiling me
Smile and the world smiles with you Isn't that what they all say? But why then, do we live in doom and gloom, Night and day, Where does the reason lay? Smile and the world smiles with you Unwavering, I stand by this But when I worry, When I fret, My oath, into oblivion, fades. Smile and the world smiles with you So why don't we do it all day? Stress and strain Can be kept at bay, It's just a smile away! The smiling me.
Plastic and the suffering of the earth
Just like several modern products and technology, plastic has negative effects. The negative effects of plastic can be hard to observe and may not appear to affect us directly, but plastic damages our planet and health. Globally, the world produces more than 400 million tons of plastic every year and the vast majority of plastic products are not recyclable. United Nations published a report estimating that 79% of plastic waste is thrown in landfills, dumps or the environment, while about 12% is incinerated and only 9% recycled. In fact, 32% of packaging waste-which is estimated a 141 million...
I had a conversation with your heart
I had a conversation with your heart Beautiful and strong it looked, I went closer and saw that it was bruised all over. I knew it was a strong fighter, fighting in spite of injury But I couldn't see happiness in spite of everyday victory I asked it why it wasn't smiling "Because dissatisfaction is overpowering I am a slave to my master, he thrashes me, he's a bit colder He is ungracious for my presence And looks for happiness in the world's leftover Failing every time, he blames me yet another time, takes no pride in his inner exposure." "How can someone give hate to such a beautiful thing!"...
Can we start the change?
How so much plastic ends up in the ocean
There are five great garbage patches which have been growing due to approximately 8 million tons of plastic being dumped in the ocean every single year. In this article I will be talking about how so much plastic ends up in our oceans, and some of the ways in which we can help. Everyone, or at least the majority of people, has heard of the consequences that plastic pollution has on our enviroment, and directly on our health. Animals dying because of too much plastic clogging their organs, sea birds suffocating, turtles and whales ingesting plastic bags have made breaking news in the past years...
From scratch
This is my first and my last blog post on the new VOY website. Why? Because I’ve changed. A lot of things happened in my life this year, good and bad. Countless disappointments. Successes and failures. Loneliness. Loss of the most beloved person... And in between all of these, I forced myself to be happy and to be honest, I felt guilty sometimes for actually being able to feel such a way. So, yes, I suppose I've changed. Change is good, change is crucial. That’s why I feel as if I need to take a little bit of time to process what I had discovered. And I had discovered something most wonderful...
"Refugees are still people"
Omar Osman does not like to brag. After living in a Kenyan refugee camp for 19 years, he came to the United States to attend Central Washington University in 2015. After just a year, he ran for class president--and won. “Students at my school were shocked that I, a refugee, could become class president.” But according to Omar, what “I did was not that extraordinary.” Omar, though, is not giving himself the credit he deserves. Indeed, what he has done, despite the barriers and challenges he has faced, is truly remarkable. Although he received only sporadic formal education as a child, for...
The story of a lynching: A wake up call to protect tribal rights in India
In February 2018, Madhu, an Adivasi tribal youth from the South Indian state of Kerala, was brutally attacked and lynched by a mob that accused him of stealing rice. The assailants then clicked photographs with the injured man whose hands were tied up, after which he was beaten to death. In light of this incident, the Kerala High Court initiated suo moto proceedings. The report of the amicus curiae paints a grim and contrasting picture in a state that boasts of the highest literacy rate and produces exceptional human development figures. It highlights the inherent defects in the channelization...
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in your work
Everyone can feel like they don’t belong now and again. When these feelings strike, a massage, vacation, or a few mental health days can get you back on your feet. But, if you tend to have a live-streaming dialogue that attempts to leave you feeling like a fraud at work, it might be something more. The good news is that you’re not alone, and you’re probably in the company of high achievers. The bad news is that you might be struggling with Imposter Syndrome. What is Imposter Syndrome Imposter syndrome is a phenomenon first described in the 1970s by psychologists Suzanne Imes and Pauline Rose...
Ways to finish
After weeks of self-absorption I was able to understand the value of finishing something like a project, a job, a love relationship, a friendship. With time, we went through a series of vicissitudes in life, between blows to the heart and blows of joy that define our well-being. For the same reason, we can be at the top or bottom of our emotional state, the difference is at what time and in what way the end of that something arrives. When we are to whom others say « goodbye », « this is over », « see you never » and other more shocking and unexpected things. That's when the moment of our mood...
5 tips to have a successful UNICEF internship
For the past 6 weeks, I have been a communications intern at the UNICEF Turkey country office. I have taken part in meetings, done research and reported on media influencers, on engagement strategies, on the news, and I have even gone to the field in Gaziantep to conduct an interview and learn about the lives of Syrian refugees in Turkey. I am including some pictures taken during this field visit here. My experience has been enriching and I have learnt a lot, so here I am, sharing with you, 5 tips to have a successful UNICEF internship:
A Special Right
I am trying to look for something… Do you know where I can find it? Will I find it in a huge school building? Or in a big brick house? If you know, then please help me out, for I have searched all around! Can I find it in books to study? Or in fancy clothes to wear? Oh, it leaves me in so much despair! I’ll beat the drums in my little slum… …and all my friends will come running… …to find what it is, that we have been missing! I will look for it in my small school building, and in my warm and tiny hut. I will look for it in the scrap of paper and in the broken pen, which will write my future… I...