2010 VOF Week 4

My maker, my healer, my protector and my creator instilled this vision in me. In His words “Without vision we will perish”. I see myself having a small family one that gives me the support to dream big and achieve smart. The vision of my personal life is like most to be in a loving relationship with a partner who sees me for who I am and not for who he thinks I am. My spirituality has helped me get to be the person I am today. I have always dreamt of working in a non governmental organization that simply helps people. The thing about that statement is that it has recently become a bit shaky. I see big United Nations managers being driven around in the latest model of any vehicle you can think of yet I can’t even fathom what justification they can give to such exorbitant expenditures yet the funds should be supporting sustainable projects for livelihoods in developing nations. It’s a big thing in my mind now, because I am wondering if I need a big posh job in one of these organizations to make a change. Who would I be making a change for? Well I guess my comfort would be sorted out, but what about the grass-root citizens whose project I would be running? Less money for them? Don’t get me wrong I love some of the work that they do and the projects they run, it’s nothing personal although it mostly makes me sick to my stomach seeing the vehicles.

The communities I have grown up in are characterized mostly by poverty. In the African culture, the woman suffers the most from such poverty because they have to provide for the babies, while the men don’t necessarily get as affected about it. From poverty stems greed, corruption, anger, unemployment, insecurity and hunger all of which is thriving in communities across borders. How can we help change the mentality of people who see the big cars being driven out there yet they do not have a morsel of food to put in their bellies? I someday look forward to seeing a self sustaining community where children can be brought up safely, where women can get into businesses with confidence, where we don’t have to rely on a donor, where we as women are able to teach our girls that the world can be a much better place, and where women can standup as women and make decisions without any fear of what other people think of them.

As a citizen of the world we have a right to be ourselves, we do not need our thoughts or actions to be suppressed merely because they make one person a bit uncomfortable in their plush chairs. If it is a cause that could make a difference to many then I shouldn’t hold it back or shut it down, I should learn to start up and reboot. I think we sit down in a comfort zone of don’t speak unless you are spoken to purely out of fear. As a Voices of Our Correspondent, I would be able to give a voice for the voiceless concerning issues that affect the women of my community. I would be able to learn what best solutions we can adopt for this community. I am stuck between transformation and growth. I have connected with many Pulsers here but how can use this wonderful platform even more than this? How can I make it happen? Show me, teach me, and help me understand the ways.

2010 VOF Week 4