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The Refugee crisis: why should you care?
Throughout history, the word refugee has been associated with the term refuge, which is a safe shelter that a person resides in search of protection. Today, a refugee is defined as a person who has been forced to leave his home country due to war, violence, or fear of prosecution as a result of certain ideas and beliefs, race, religion, sectarianism, nationality, or political opinion. The above definition was what I found on the internet. But, what the internet does not mention is that a refugee is someone who struggles every day to find something to eat, to find somewhere safe to stay, to...
COVID- 19's Effect on Educational Inequalities in the UK
On March 20th 2020, in an unprecedented move to stem the spread of coronavirus, schools closed in the UK. With thousands of students given short notice to say goodbye to those they have shared memorable years of their education with, the Government’s move sparked a period of immense uncertainty for Britain’s Youth. Not only did it highlight the very real danger that COVID 19 posed to our society, but it also plunged millions of students into an uncertain situation that they could not have envisaged. Almost instantaneously, plans to take exams, say goodbye to either primary school, secondary...
Muslims, to unite or to divide
Happy, innocent, and carefree, and like all children of their age, the children of the middle east and north Africa (MENA) region were full of dreams, hopes, and expectations that were all buried with the beginning of the war. Now we know that war is one of the worst tragedies that can affect humans but sad enough, war has become an inevitable part of many children especially those living in the MENA region. Why does this mainly happens to countries in the MENA region? Why does it mostly target the Muslim communities? Is it because those countries are rich in petroleum? Well, that may be one...
Humanity; to unite or to divide
This is Omran, a 5 years old Syrian child exposed to war. A war we all knew but never thought of at all. Being exposed to all the bloodshed, destruction and violence, Omran sat in silence. A silence that reflected the ignorance of humans. Humans who have turned to be far more oppressive, far more destructive and far more brutal than any bomb, gun or weapon. Omran is just one of the suffering victims of the savagery of the Syrian war but, this is not the story of Omran alone. This is the story of every child exposed to war. Be it from Syria, Yemen, Libya, Iraq, or Afghanistan. This is the story...
Racism, the real global pandemic
In the past days, George Floyd has dominated the news. I do not think that I need to go on about who George Floyd was because, regardless of his identity, what matters is that George Floyd was a son George Floyd was a brother George Floyd was a husband George Floyd was a father And more than anything, George Floyd was like me and you, a man hoping for a decent life for him and his family. I do not know the man to judge or take sides but one thing I am sure of is that no one deserves to be treated in the same manner. No one deserves to die in such a horrible way. We currently live in the 21st...
Access to Healthcare in times of COVID-19: Reimagining the Curve
In defense of altruism during these interesting times
To first understand why I am defending altruism in these interesting times, I must first define it! Altruism is a psychological concept which refers to behaviour that is entirely selfless and typically exhibited in a situation where one’s actions benefit another individual at a cost to oneself. If you’ve been clapping at 8 pm every evening, I’m sure you now realise what benevolent people I’m referring to. Indeed are national mask-wearing heroes! In these interesting times, altruistic acts can be seen in every NHS hospital, GP practice and I believe it is also very important to recognise the...
On the world mental health day, how can I protect myself from depression?
With every turn in the calendar’s page and every tick of the clock, life imparts us with innumerable beautiful memories; first love, the first baby born, first salary, time spent with good friends, and a plethora of other memories. But, just like how we experience beautiful moments, we also experience moments of sadness and grief due to the loss of loved ones, retirement, and health issues. This feeling of sadness is normal and usually remits over time. However, when a person experiences sadness that lasts for two or more constitutive weeks without a possible trigger then, according to the...
Reciprocity: an indigenous teaching for a better 2021
Ayni is an Aymara principle that means “mutual reciprocity and help others in need” and Juk’uchaña is an Aymara word that means “to accumulate or hoard like a mouse” translated by the Aymara teacher Félix Layme Pairumani. While thinking about actions to take for a better 2021, I was compelled to ask my elders what are the steps to reimagine a better future after the COVID-19 pandemic? Instead of providing a straight answer, they narrated one of our traditional stories, which is taught from generations to generations. There was once a mouse who always had food in his house. He harvested all...
Human rights; a term or a reality?
Globally, About 108 million people have been killed in the wars of the 20th century, About 79.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes, About 26 million people are refugees, People still die due to hunger and starvation in war-affected countries, Many children are still deprived of education due to the wars in their countries. Today, we celebrate human rights when sadly, in many countries, human rights are merely a term. Here, I must use my region, the middle east and north Africa (MENA) as an example. In many of the countries of my region: - Human life is the least that matters....
Dream captures his last breath
I approached him after an hour of sitting without revealing a word. His features told me a lot, he is not good. I went up to him and asked, "Are you okay?" Oh thank God I asked. He was a bomb that only needed a little pressure to explode, but with our conversation, I relaxed him a bit. He told me a story that made me apprehensive and angry, but he told me that he still had some time to turn it into a success story. My conversation with this young man lasted for more than two hours. I felt when he spoke every letter he uttered took from his soul a little because of his pain and his sorrow for...
Holistic education in the digital era
Living in the twenty-first century, we’re witnessing digital technology permeating all areas of human life. One of them is the field of education. Nowadays at school, it’s common to use digital technologies on a daily basis. In my country, Bolivia – often perceived as a ‘developing’ country – we are witnessing a transition to a digital, community-based and pluralistic pedagogy that adds ancestral knowledge to the traditional humanistic education model. Without doubt, this is a revolutionary step, not only towards inclusion and recognition of indigenous groups within the formal education system...
Towards the teaching of indigenous languages in schools
Aruskipt'asipxañanakasakipunirakispawa is an Aymara word that means "we are compelled to communicate", translated by Aymara teacher Juan de Dios Yapita. As a young Aymara, belonging to this indigenous people, I feel proud of my culture. Unfortunately, I am one of many who with affliction do not know the language of their parents and grandparents. The school offers us education and values, which are usually far from our original culture. Making it difficult to access materials, teachers and the learning of our native language. That is why the teaching of indigenous languages is fundamental...