Type
Topic
Country
What about Peace?
Peace a word so loosely used Thought to bring a calm To the noise around me The noise around me stating he’s right and she’s wrong But this conflict is more than a message in a song This conflict has preceded generations, upon generations A solution that founded treaties, made borders, bartered resources and married nations But somewhere along the line something shifted our perspective It changed our view!! There is no peace but pieces of broken people, nations, relationships and civilizations The right to bear arms in the name of peace but the peace is to stare down the barrel of a loaded gun...
Mapping natural disaster risks in Ecuador
From me. To me. With love.
Dear Self I know what a hard time it’s been lately. I can hear your thoughts when it gets tough. I know how hard you try and how little progress you think you are making. It is okay. You are okay. The little outbursts of happiness are okay, being sad for a while is okay. Feeling very tired and needing to rest is okay. You are okay. Live every healthy moment to the fullest. Let kind people into your soul, dance in the rain, love fully and unapologetically, read all the books you often feel too sick to read, don't be scared to be in pain it will only make your heart kind, write all the time even...
#OwnOurData – kids need to fight to protect their digital rights
The concept of love
My first word was love. Under the flickering lights of North Shore Hospital on March 10, 2002, I met the one person whose love for me is unconditional. As I tore my eyelids open and glanced the kind, raven-haired woman, I immediately noticed her smile, which stretched for miles past the horizon. I truly believe that one person molded me into the person I am today. As I grew up, I became afraid of my own reflection, until I realized that the only things I should see staring back at me are the doting eyes of my grandma. Many years later, I returned to the hospital. One week away from losing my...
We are our own salvation
Hands are raising towards the sky. A sea of single hands. Skin so fair, looking, searching for wrinkles ready to touch, help. None was found. The sea of open hands turns into pointing fingers. Full of attitude, angry at the empty sky. Angry at the emptiness once full of protection. Angry at the aid which fails to come. Angry at the loneliness. Anger becomes desperation. Desperation becomes hopelessness. Hopelessness takes the strenght from some arms. Fewer and fewer are the pointing fingers. Some just give up. But with a ray of light comes a realization, and fingers turn into open hands again...
Become more
I woke up this morning feeling so tired and reluctant to stand up from my bed. I managed to say my morning prayers asking God for strength for a new day. Still I felt like staying at home. Then slowly I heard that still small voice saying, Praises, remember today is Tuesday, that man is always early for class. Try and get up if you don't want to miss your class. Hmmmm, I sighed slowly as I managed to stand up from my bed to go and shower while singing out loud. Shortly after I hurriedly dressed up, packed my bag an off I went. Still on my way to school I was praying so badly to get a cab on...
The opportunities and challenges faced by youth in rural America
Rural areas are essentially the backbone of America, but more and more young people are eschewing their rural roots in order to seek better opportunities in metropolitan areas. While there are a number of advantages to growing up in a rural environment, such as wide open spaces and a tight-knit community, many young people in rural America believe that the challenges outweigh the perks. Young people who choose to relocate to urban areas are typically seeking higher wages and increased access to resources such as healthcare, education, and healthy food. The Center for American Progress reports...
What have we become?
Silence and teenagers are two things unable to coexist. Or so I thought, until late July. 100 incoming 10th graders, myself included, visited a holocaust museum in Montreal, Canada. A bus filled with children screaming and singing transformed into a room where the sound of a pin dropping was the equivalent of a piercing scream on any other day. Dead silent, 100 teenagers, for 3 hours. We were silent in fear, in terror, or our past, of our species. We were put at ease by the misconception that things had changed, people had changed, events as tragic as the holocaust will never occur again. This...
Fear of the unknown
Somehow I feel there is a lot that I am not letting out. I feel like there is more energy inside of me that seems to not be coming out, but I am eager to bring forth that energy inside of me; yet, I don’t know how. I am scared I might fail and probably not do well. Maybe I am scared of what people will think about me. I don’t know if I am fluent or capable enough. I don’t know if I have the skills needed to carry out responsibilities and implement those set goals, not because I don’t want to, but I just don’t know how to go about it. Can I succeed? Is it possible to try? These are some of the...
Breaking gender barriers in tech: How I started a nonprofit as a 15-year-old Filipina
Be who you are
In the spirit of the Day of the Girl: Let me remind you of your abilities as a woman. You were not created to shrink when trouble hits you. It's in our nature to contain it and come out of it. As a woman you are powerful. It doesn't matter how much life situations try to pull you down, because girl, you can pull through. You are more than what you see now. Fight for the change you want in your life. Think positive. Give no room for negativity. Work earnestly towards developing and challenging yourself to be a better person and it's gonna be a game changer for you. Feel free to pause and...
Fighting for your own, whatever it takes!
What are you waiting for?
If I hadn’t taken a gap year, I would have had the same life as every university student does in Hong Kong now (studying, tutoring and hanging out with friends). Simply, I ditched everything that I had in Hong Kong, and I started a new beginning in Kazakhstan as a United Nations Volunteer for UNICEF. Before I made this move, all of my friends were criticizing me about my decision. They were saying, ‘Why don’t you go to the volunteer programme after your graduation?’ ‘You are going to miss a lot because you are not getting immersed with us.’ Honestly, I also struggled a lot before I came here...
Tomorrow will be better
Sitting alone by the corner of her building lost in thought. Oh God! Why me? Why do I keep getting poor results from my exams, she exclaimed. When will all this struggle end? It is not as though I don’t study, I try my best to study as much as I can, yet no improvement. She sobs as tears roll down her cheek. Nkem! Mother approaches calling and looking for her, she finally saw her sitting by the corner filled with tears rolling down her cheek. Mama I am tired of trying so hard and everything seems fruitless. Nkem it’s okay, remember tomorrow will be better don’t worry, stop crying. She hugged...
What are you waiting for?
what are you waiting for? what’s holding you back from living the life of your dreams? what’s holding you back? I ask again the world needs you the world needs your heart, your passion, your excitement. humanity needs you, only you can make that dream of yours become a reality. what’s holding you back? let go of your insecurities, believe in the incredible power you have, listen to your heart and great things will start happening around you. listen to your heart and get out of that destructive zone in which you’re at right now we need you, the world wants to see the real you. the real you that...
The self love
What is self love? It is acceptance, affection, courage and respect for ourselves. It is related to high self esteem, it has no similarity to self-centeredness or pride. All human beings are different, these differences make us unique, authentic, valuable and make us shine with our own light. Don't be discouraged if someone tells you otherwise; forget about prejudices, belive in yourself. Love yourself as you are, love what you do and others will show you, the same affection and respect. Happines is the success of self love, so accept yourself, love yourself, be happy and you can find the...
Insurgency and Everything In Between: My Yobe Experience
My one-year mandatory NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) service ended on the 3rd October, 2019. It was whole experience and although I hate that I eventually relocated, I am happy with the memories that filled my soul. Now that I am back to my regular location, I’ve had to deal with a ton of unending questions (you would think I went to Mars!) especially about the insurgency and northern culture. Well, this is no surprise as most people who were previously in my life (both far and near) haven’t been to the northeast before, because of the fear of insurgency. It’s funnier that most even...