Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Reading, making a change in your community

For the past days, I have seen so many kids in my community.
Its not that I don't see kids in my community , but I have seen so many kids who daily remind of the need to reach out and make a difference.
I see all these kids who have no idea what to do with their lives, we are all inspired at certain point in our lives.
In our search for answers in this world , we are tempted everyday to settle for mediocrity , to go with the crowd.
Get fast money, and ride in cars. Throwing away all the potential one might have inside because he didn't just have the right answers.

This is one of the powers of reading. Reading has the power to inspire many of these growing kids to become creative potentials in this country.
There are countless stories of people who picked up a book and their lives changed forever.
The story of the Kenyan boy who at the age of 11 was able to harness the wind, because he stepped into a library and picked up a book, is a story that reminds us everyday why  these children should have an opportunity to have access to books.

My team and I have this mission on our heart, we know the power of books and we will go to all lengths to make a difference.
Eselfone bringing libraries to communities  and the essence of self-education to the people.

You can support the cause, make a difference.

Friday, July 1, 2011

the seminar

Working on the seminar
A whole lot of things involved
We dont have to be selective
Trying to get to lots of hearts to follow our lead
Yet we need hearts that in the most willing to....

Its easier when they are willing
But then on the other hand ur task will be of no sense if there's no love
And love is not selective
It does all things with enthusiasm and purpose..

We will follow through suit........
We are taking baby steps as usual.... but the goal is to paint this picture clear cut...
And we pray we achieve that

Makes sense right?

I am sitting here right now
And I am thinking hard
Its hard to find words to express what is on my mind
All the thoughts coming to mind
The scenes of the past three days
The emotions cluttered in  my hearts depth
Its hard to find words
But I want so bad to say something
And say it with meaning
Words are crucial, yet let me let it out anyway without care

Children walking all around, doing all sorts of menial jobs
Do they choose this?
I see some mothers too with their babies at their back,working hard
And not long ago,  I was walking past some men digging a pit and one said;" charley life had O"..
I saw a drunk the other day, he had children, he had a wife and he looked really miserable on sight... immediately my thought drifted to  his children..

I look around my community and I try to see what the future holds for the youth, especially young guys of my age.
They are all so ambitious , and admire that so much. But all this energy is being directed wrongly, into all sorts of quick money schemes.

A lot of questions coming  through, but the one that seems most persistent is ; "why"
WHy?, what could be wrong,  all these people are living without hope for a better tomorrow....

I have mates who are out school who dont know what to do with themselves... they dont know what to become.. not that they are not ambitious enough, they  just dont where to direct all that energy.

I asked a couple of guys in SHS what they wanted to become 7 years from now and why. They just didnt know, and those who knew what they wanted to become just didnt know why they wanted to become that.

Its sad and I have been asking myself what is not being done, we are looking forward to educating the youth in this country to come develop this country into what.

I here rantings everyday about this issue and that issue.. about development, but what do we truly want this country to become and who and who are working towards this.

We live in a country where citizens feel they dont owe the nation nothing and the country owes them eveything, ridiculous!.
Looks like we are expecting the country to build us instead of we building the country.
We are expecting the country's natural resources to do all the magic.


Where do we want this country to go... we are building a structure and we dont even have a blue print of what we want. We copy blindy; yeah that guys building looks real cute the way they are building it, lets do something like that.

Hey, we need a dream.......
Every individual needs to know the dream and know his part in making it come to a reality
Too much talk makes no sense, I was taught it reduces productivity
Lets be real....
Lets know exactly where we want to be

Lets have a dream that will teach the people how to dream....
Yes,  a dream that unifies all and makes sense to all..

Checkout a society like Sparta they knew where they were going , well its democracy, cant force people to do stuffs, but for the sake of the growth of this country, lets employ the spartans style of dreaming.

Lets know what we want this country to become and lets train the kind of mind tools we need to achieve this.
Yet, until we know where want to go and what to become we wont know which tool to employ....
Dream, dream,dream..... makes sense right.

Individually, you  will unique force of your own, if only we will pick up a passion and pick a book. It will help you discover you and help others discover themselves too....
It will help you create the kind of educated picture we need to see and with you seeing that and helping others , we are on our way.

ALWAYS THINK OF A WAY YOU CAN GIVE RATHER THAN RECEIVE

Friday, June 24, 2011

Its been a beautiful day today, well its always beautiful, but I sometimes barely notice.
But its always beautiful experience to be and realize how beautiful the passing moment even is, it feels eternal.
I am really happy living in this experience, every becoming more and pushing towards perfection.
I am grateful.


Well this is the place where I get to talk about onething that I am really passionate about, reading; self-education.
There has been so much activity and neither Salifu nor I has had time to  update this blog.
Well will just be great to go straight ahead and talk about some of the things that has kept off the computer screen and these wonderful keyboards...lol
Yeah, having a little laugh.

The past weeks has been wonderful, met lots of great personalities and done real great things that makes me proud, and it somehow keeps affirming life is  beautiful.
We had the opportunity to share very interesting stuffs with the children at the Adaeso Presec School ,working with the World Reader.
Previous weeks we've shared subjects on DREAMS, SELF-RESPONSIBILITY, REFLECTION and ATTITUDE.
Its great what we in ourselves learned while interacting with these children.
I remember on the week when we talked about dreams, we told these young ones about the essence of dreams and the power in dreaming.
We got to the stage when I was asking what people would want to become and I asked this boy called Stanley, what do you dream of becoming and he says a missionary doctor, then the second question which follows which most of the kids were amiss with was the why question...why do you want to become a missionary doctor. His  answer is I want to become a missionary doctor because I see people are sick, in so many places and wish to travel and go help them...wow...his answer blows me away.
I wasnt really expecting it.
Last week Saturday was about ATTITUDE, after we had done the long talk about the essence of developing a positive way of responding to events around us, we brought a scenario to board.
The scenario was about two guys who wanted to be the greatest acoustic guitarists in the world and somehow on a journey to a class they ended up in an accident that got them both blind.
We asked the class what was the positive way of respond to this event and a lot of good answers are coming in, but I remember Stanley again because of  the previous answer he had given..
I asked him what do you think will be the most positive  way to respond to this situation and he says well, inability is not disability so I will strive on with  pursuing my dream, and the answer takes me by surprise again; what really hits me is " inability is not disability"
And there more wonderful stories I cant say here but I am just using Stanley's example... slowly but surely all these books these kids are reading and all the inspirational talk and other activities coming along with it is having a hold on the way these kids think and its just wonderful.
If slowly we are changing the way these kids think about their world then slowly we are changing their world.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

@ PRESEC-ADAESO (Senior high school).
       Saturday, 14th May,2011
We started well, the weather was favorable and certainty about our predetermined program kept us moving. As scheduled, Samuel and I had to talk about passion in the art of reading.
We did just that, trying to instigate a reason for reading as a means of exploring more about things we are passionate about. We started by talking about passion and its traits so the students get to understand what their passions are, and how the intense innate desire compels and leads us into an unpredictable journey of exploration. We had some help from the dictionary on the kindles.
It was all cool until I had to talk about exploration as a trait of passion. I had taken my own experience as an example, talking about my pursuit towards the understanding of the topic of randomness versus determinism, how it later engulfed and made me explore other topics such as causality, certainty and uncertainty. Just then I was explaining randomness, that things just happened without the cause of other events and indeed it manifested.
It started raining heavily and we had not expected that at all.
So uncertainty crept in and few of us felt the program was going to be wrecked. We decided to be deterministic by following suit our programs as the weather changed. Samuel and I had to stop
because our voices couldn't pierce through the crackling noises of the iron roofing sheet. So we watched the volunteers from Ashesi take over.
 We became certain once more when the students engaged themselves in wonderful academic games. The games included spelling, and acting words or statements to partners.
So they picked some words from some stories on the kindles to test the spelling ability of the kids. Then we went on to play the "pick and act game" as it still rained heavily. This time I think I was inspired.
I saw the children  trying to bring words to life, doing all they could to tell their team mates a word or a statement without speech but mere action.
Among them was a tall boy hopping; his two arms fixed to his chest just like the tyrannosaurus. On the third hop I could hear the sound of his long feet pounding the floor and watching his hanged arms... I realised he was a man-kangaroo. I laughed because he had no pouch, no tail and no pointed face. Do actions speak louder than words?
I think actions themselves are words.
   The rain stopped, and so did the crackling noises of the roof. Samuel and I wrapped things up and took some questions from the students.
Joseph helped answer some questions as well about pursuing passions.
We all had fun learning and I think the worldreader is by far on the right path, not only reading but inspiring these kids to build the best future for themselves.
Being able to continue our program with the circumstances that befell, I think there is always a source of happiness around us, and all we have to do is to observe and discover what to learn at particular moments.

Monday, May 9, 2011

@ Adaeso

We had an opportunity to work with the world reader organization . The first  experience which we were waiting patiently for came on the 7/5/11
We  were to visit Adaeso Presbyterian school and read  with the children.
Worldreader is doing a wonderful job giving these children this incredible experience with the kindle.
Worldreader's efforts goes way beyond the threshold of getting books to the kids but also to the parents of the kids with the text to speech feature of the kindle.

I had time with some of the kids and just as I had believed, the books these kids are reading is making a wonderful impact in their lives.
One boy's favorite book was titled the champion runner. I asked him why that title is his favorite , and to my surprise he spoke about the resilience, humility and determination of a young boy who won the race competition of  the story.
He was inspired so much by the character in the story and told me, he was adopting the traits of the character in pursuing his dreams of becoming a pilot.
Wow.... I asked why did he choose to become a pilot and not any other profession. He said "its because that's the only way someone can get abroad " , so I asked whether he wanted to become a pilot just so, he could travel and see places... He said, no I want to become a pilot because I get to help the people traveling abroad and myself, as I make money and get to know places.
I was impressed because I felt the boy I had learned a great lesson which he didn't even know , that one has to give in order to receive.
And this my friends is the power of picking up a book, you learn something anyhow either consciously and unconsciously.
For me the vocabulary, expression and all , doesn't have more meaning than the inspiration these kids are going to pick up from every book they read.

Pick up a passion and then pick up a book
Reading speaks the message readily

WHERE TO READ

                     WHERE TO READ.

Words are hard to draw  out, as I keep struggling with my flow.Trying to write right, to impress, draw attention and at the same time drive my message home.
There is an issue at hand that I believe if not looked at might cause the retrogression of this country rather than its progress.

THE PROBLEM I SEE.

My days in school were full of unfulfilled fantasies.
I had always wondered when we were going to study one of my favorite subjects; electricity in Integrated science..
When it was time to learn all about it, I was disappointed , frankly speaking because I had no idea what the teacher had just taught.
My idea of leaning was to lead me on a path of exploration to help me to find out the wonders and tales of the discovery of a subject.
I didn't have lessons from one teacher , soon my Maths teacher came around, I liked Maths, the fact that I had the opportunity to find answers by manipulating numbers and operations..hmmm...but numbers didn't seem fun in the end...cos I just didn't know how to apply  a topic like functions to my everyday life.
Social studies wasn't bad at least, it had strings of tales and stories connected to it and I loved listening to how Dr.Kwame  Nkrumah and his fellas achieved their dream.
I have always wondered if Dr.Nkrumah hadn't written any books that would be worth discussing in class.

GETTING THE BOOKS..

Self education is done best if one gets to fetch all books he needs for free. We therefore see it necessary directing you to the best sources you can get a personal library for free.
Pick a passion and pick a book from the various websites listed. Hope you enjoy reading...
free books online:
www.freebookspot.com
ebookee.com
www.bartleby.com
www.gutenberg.org
www.readprint.com
onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu
www.dailylit.com
www.scribd.com
www.manybooks.net
books.google.com
en.wikisource.org
ww.sacred-texts.com
www.ccel.org

free audio books:
freebookspot.cc/Category-Audio Bookslibrivox.org
verkaro.org
www.loudlit.org
www.freeclassicaudiobooks.com
www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Gutenberg:The_Audio_Books_Project

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The other day Faith, Salifu and I were taking a walk.
We were actually walking Salifu to the bus station to board a bus home...
This was after he had been to Faith's place to discuss genes and color of the skin with her.
Two biology students, trying to clear some doubts, well Salifu was quite certain of what he knew and Faith needed to settle some doubts she had about her complexion....she is fair and both parents are black
Well while we were walking Salifu to the station , he asked a question which was for me an interesting one.
He said " what do you guys think about this, Your passion can be your talent , but your talent cannot necessarily be your passion , right?"
Well Faith agreed, but I didnt , because I had my believes.
I always said there is nothing like talent , what I have to come to believe is someone is said to be talented at something because he developed an intense enthusiasm for it way before others did.
Well Faith disagreed, and gave me the talk about innate abilities, people born singers ,people born with the flair for dancing and many other things.
Well she was right, and I told her i agreed.......but I didnt totally agree.
Ok, so she is right but the case we all have this innate ability that can make us anything we want.
An innate ability that can cause to birth any kind of talent.
And this innate ability is in everyone.
This innate ability is desire.
You only need the right inspiration, and if you are able to aspire to perspire enough, you will become what you dreamed of being.
We see it everyday, skill always beats talent.
Yeah, learn that, no one is talented enough to beat skill.
Because skill never stops learning.....thats the core of it all...you end being fueled with passion
And thats what brings in all the results.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

KEEPING JOURNALS II

I will want to present a piece from my journal, usually sounds like poetry.... the way I write in my journal, maybe bcos I have been using journals ever since I saw my father used it..that will be around the time I was 11....
In this piece I thought about writing something I felt inside,it was an intuitive feeling to pen down, some sort of an idea I felt was true.
Its titled  Identity


It was only yesterday when i was 7 with less to worry about
I was running my bike to and fro the playing ground 
My mind not burdened with tomorrow , filled with the bliss of the present and yesterday fogged with many laughters of today.
I wonder why I cannot go back to being 7,8,9,10...
Cos right now I feel like I am on a journey 
A journey I started after I lost the pillar in my life 
I have come far with lots of answers yet I still search
Its like everyday there is a new questiion, a question you must find out and then answer

Life's many disillusioned metaphors caused by our many perceptions
Always ends us on a search 
A search to find what we want to become
A search to find fulfillment
A search to find all the good things we believe makes our life the righteous path we wish it to be
I see myself going through these many cycles , looking for answers to the many puzzles that I am even yet to uncover
I realized somehow we get to a  point in our life, when we begin to search
When we begin to search for all the things that  brings meaning to us
We begin to search for our identity
Identity..we begin to search for the one thing or things that brings the pieces of our life together
Many are doing this unconsciously and others are somewhat conscious
So we go on a journey to find ourselves
All who find their identity and work with it, find everything else
Its silly though how it turns out when you dont find you.
Everything around you seems kind of illy and opportunities out of reach.
I cant say how every individual can find himself or herself bcos its a journey every individual must take in his own
But I believe I can give  you a head start.
You know what they say; a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, but a step in the wrong direction can put you in cycles for ages.
The right step here, on identifying yourself is first  identifying yourself with your source.

KEEPING JOURNALS

Journals are a special way of expressing oneself.
It goes well beyond just penning down words 
Its a way one communicates to himself 
The book and pen are just there for records sake
But the real depth of the journaling thing is unleashing thoughts, expressing how you feel about  something, a situation or an idea
It involves connecting pieces of ideas and sometimes making sense out of it.
It involves saying all you want without control.
Your journal is the part of you that wants to talk and wants to listen.
It doesnt restrict you to the form or way you need pour how you feel......
It has such attention and care n all you have to do is pour.....
Its always saying
Tell it all to me
And I will give it all back to you when you are ready


A reflection of how you felt yesterday can only help you grow, if any lesson is learned.
And it works, is like taping yourself while you reacted to that situation and then later you find out ...you didnt handle things quite well afterall.


Its like reading that book and saying what you thought, but after reading it again you find out there was more to the story than you were able to make out of it.


Tell it all to me
And I will give it all back to you when you are ready
Im jst a reflection yet a deep one.