The International Day of the African Child falls on June 16 and it is marked to commemorate the 1976 Soweto Uprising against apartheid by South African school children.
Many of these school children were killed by police officials including Hector Pieterson . This day is celebrated by member states of Organization of African Union.
Days like these remind us Africans what others fought for and remind us how our personal stories have power to shape lives, even those of generations to come.
As Africans we are story tellers.
We have been built by stories that were traditionally shared sitting around the fire.
In the spirit of the day of the African Child, I like to remember every African Child who is doing something to change the lives of others.
You may not be recognized by anyone but you are making a shift however little it may seem.
I say continue to do it for Africa, for your country and for the entire world.
Many of us celebrate you.
We celebrate our own African examples that serve to remind us that there is a place for us in the world to create a difference.
One such example for me is Tshenolo Bobo Palai a young man I recently had dinner with after hearing him share his remarkable story of overcoming drug addiction.
Bobo and his team have started “Liberty Program,” a program geared towards helping drug addicts. Bobo has a vision of changing the nation of Botswana through his story.
His story is that of not letting his past hold him back from what he is meant to be. His story is that of grace finding him and it is that same grace that he wants others to experience.
Bobo broke free from the grip of substance abuse, something he says was more of divine intervention.
He now runs a couple of youth programs such as the The Unashamed Movement and God Chasers.
Bobo is a typical example of someone who has turned the ugly bits of his journey into something beautiful. He moves across the country sharing his story and educating the youth about dangers of drugs and alcohol.
Bobo serves to remind us how the gross bits of our lives can serve a bigger purpose.
What Bobo says Liberty program is about
Bobo says Liberty program is designed to help youth fight against drugs and create awareness in issues of substance abuse.
It is an intervention towards what he terms a national crisis and a root of all social ills;substance abuse.
The program intends to mobilize churches in the fight against drug and alcohol abuse.
In Liberty Program, they believe the church should be an answer to today’s problems.
They are doing this to respond the needs of the people and they are moved by compassion for drug addicts.
Bobo says that drug and alcohol abuse is an intense fight but he strongly believes the fight can be won.
He believes that through the community spirit that exist in Botswana this fight can be won.
Bobo is not alone, he is with the quiet and soft spoken Martin who is also a former drug addict and one of the founders of Liberty Program.
He has traveled the path Bobo has traveled.
He knows the pains of fighting the battle of addiction but he also knows the joys of winning the battle. He shares about how lonely the recovery path can be and how a strong support system is the need of the hour.
He says that what Liberty Program will provide is a support system for individuals dealing with different challenges in order to ensure that their walk through the road of transformation is complete.
Martin is an artist who shares his story through hip-hop music,an appealing music genre to many young people.
He sees Liberty Program as an opportunity for youth to connect even through music and to show case their God given talents.
4 things we learn from Bobo and Martin’s journey
Our dreams can be birthed from the ugly bits of our lives
Bobo and Martin have embraced the ugly bits of their lives, they know they cannot erase their past neither can they turn back the hands of time, but here is one thing they know that they can use the ugly past to create a beautiful future, not just for themselves but for others.
Yes what you have gone through was ugly but even in those places the little seeds of our dreams can be born.
We can change lives through our stories
Sometimes we may need to show up in someone’s life and say, “I did that too.”
While it may not be easy being vulnerable to other people sometimes we need to do that and then what could have otherwise been the story of shame becomes the story of hope to someone else, it becomes the story of grace, the story of possibility and the story of courage to someone else.
Fierce fights can be won; just put your first foot forward
I think all fights young people are up against are fierce and real, at different levels, but I find what Bobo said to be very super charging.
“The fights can be won.”
They can only be won when we take the first steps.
When dreams are given to us they may seem impossible but if we do one little thing at a time, one little thing that needs to be done towards cultivating the dreams, we will arrive and find the most amazing fulfillment.
We don’t have to wait for permission to change the world
These young men are not waiting on the queue to be called to make difference.
They are not waiting for anyone ‘stamp of approval.
They believe it is right within their hearts and it is right in God’s eyes and have therefore decided to run with their vision.
Many of us often wait for permission to change the world.
We think someone is going to call our names and tell us this is our turn.
These young men stepped out with all the uncertainty surrounding their project and are not waiting until everything to fall into place in order to change the world.
Go ahead give yourself permission to change the world.
Conclusion
I think dreams like those of Bobo and Martin deserved to be pushed.
I think they need all of us to join hands and support them.
I think our strong communities can build the dream of an African Child.
This month in the spirit of the African Child tell your stories to create a difference.
I have shared Bobo and Martin stories, what is your story?
I ask you if you know someone who is changing lives like Bobo and Martin share with us. I want to this month on your social media platforms make noise about our own examples.
Make noise about our stories.
Their stories need to be heard.