Young people and mental health in a changing world: WMH Day message (2018)
This is a re-published post, originally published in 2018.
This is a re-published post, originally published in 2018.
| Jakarta, Indonesia 1st April 2016 at 11p.m | The scenery looked normal when my mom, my sister, and I left the mall. People pass by carrying groceries happily. But it immediately changed, because there is a spot that looks different which attracted our attention. A little girl sitting on the sidewalk in front of the mall was counting money in her hand. We approached her and asked what she was doing there. She said, "I'm counting my money from work all day," and we asked, "What is your job?" Then she replied, "Buskers". I was stunned to hear her answer. Her name is Fitri, a 7-year-old...
In the dawn of the 21st century, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) declared that measles had been eliminated from the United States. This meant that there were no cases of measles transmitted by patients within the US. All measles cases were “imported” from infected non-US patients. This was amazing news made possible by the 97% effective MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. It was a triumphant medical achievement and a true testament to the power of science and research. This was 19 years ago. This year, the CDC announced 695 reported cases from measles in April 2019...
Do you know the song Somewhere over the Rainbow? I think it’s one of the most hopeful songs that is ever sung in this world. This song came back to me when I met the people of the Rainbow Tree Foundation. The Rainbow Tree Foundation, a Foundation in the Netherlands, was created more than 25 years ago, based on a story told by a little girl of five years old. Her name was Holly. The Rainbow Tree Foundation One night she fell asleep and she dreamt about a forest full of rainbows. There were elfs, leprechauns and many animals. She was dancing there in her red shoes. At the same moment the nurse...
"The word power can be interpreted with both positive and negative meanings. I started creating my works by exploring the exact definition, which means to be able, and whether or not I agreed with it. Living in a reality that presents both aspects to this term, the interpretation of this word is limitless, which is also the reason behind many current conflicts. The term attracted me because of my personal interests with the problems present in the status quo, and how they essentially lead back to the same place: a race for power. But I believe that in order to really understand the term, one...
While we are enjoying the perks of having the most latest gadget and technologies, it is also important to look back and still be familiar with the traditional ones. Looking at the vast and fast pace of change we had overtime, it seems that most of us have been so engrossed with the current trends, whether it be in gadgets or in any other form of technological advancement. It is not wrong that we are up to date, the point is, we sometimes are so in love enjoying them that we forget to at least look back and still be familiar with what we used before. One of these traditional things is the use...
Daerah Istimewa Jogjakarta - Indonesia truly has its own charm and uniqueness with its diverse beauty in nature and attraction. I believe Indonesia is famous for the palace, Parangtritis Beach and Merapi Mountain. There are many discussions about these places and you can find a lot of pictures of them. It can’t be denied that nowadays people travel to have an Instagramable post, but as a result, you might lose the moment. In this opportunity, I’d like to share one of a kind place that might not satisfy your crave to post on social media, but it definitely helps you grow as a person. The place...
Hello everyone, I'm İdil and I live in Turkey. In my country I believe education is the most needed thing and there are a lot of campaigns to improve education. There are more than 3 three organizations which help girls’ education, there are organizations for the children who have lost their parents, there are also community centres which educate the public. A lot of people dedicate themselves to teach people and change the society in to a better way. I am really proud of these people; but there is a thing that I am not proud of (which is a shame for such a country with great citizens): the...
Black is the color painted on my skin I can't starve anymore to look thin Efforts by Fair & Lovely are all in vain My self esteem continues to wane Photoshop too refuses to embrace me Disgusted me, wants to flee Pimples being the cherry on my cake Plastic surgeries make me look so fake Haunting me are the colossal numbers on my weighing scale Shouting out aloud narrating my ugly tale Stretch marks adorn my body Being obese is the only notion I embody Then came my Prince Charming To lead me to the path of right Keeping my flaws out of sight Thereafter, reflections cast by my mirror seemed...
Often times we see ourselves under our blankets, afraid and terrified of doing some other things aside from the things we used to do. We let our fears manipulate our deepest desires and entreaties, in this sense, we let it drive us. There are a lot of explanations about fear; some people would say it is an innate behavior which occurs usually when we don’t want to do something. Others would say it is our reflex action when we encounter something we do not expect to. But whatever explanation they will employ, for me, it doesn’t matter. We are made exceptionally with wits, cleverness and even...
For about two years, I had been a volunteer for the Liberian Climate Justice Ambassadors Program-Plant For The Planet. As a volunteer, I along with other volunteers planted trees and carried out awareness relating to climate change and its impact on our community. We were informed about how humans’ activities and technological advancements are leading to climate change and global warming. In addition to my volunteer experience, I read several articles that are concentrated on issues related to climate change and how it causes global warming. Like the Roman politician, Julius Caesar once said,...
It was an early morning in 2012. I was in the 8th grade then. My classmates told me stories about how they met new friends and how they even chatted with celebrities and got to experience many amazing things. I was intrigued. I wanted to experience these exciting things they always talked about. Every child wants to partake in the childhood fantasy. So I went on to create a Facebook account; this was the beginning of my journey through the virtual world. As time went by, I became accustomed to checking my social media more frequently. I immersed myself in the social media culture by chatting...
As the world comes together to tackle global challenges such as climate change, food security and civil and interstate wars it is sad when some countries are left behind. Acquisition of nuclear weapon technology has left some countries isolated. The world leaders are fearing that nuclear weapons may enter the hands of terrorists and separatists if these countries happen to possess them. In fact, these countries cannot out rule that possibility if at the time being, they are involved in supporting different armed groups waging wars in different countries. Sadly, enough in their efforts to...