Youth Challenge International

I had a list of things I wanted to do before I die. Run a full marathon, check. Go skydiving, check. Become a teacher, check. Travel to Africa, someday. I have always had an adventurous spirit, one that loves to seek out new experiences and challenges with every opportunity. Since graduating from University, I have taught and traveled all over the world but had never been to Africa. In my mind, Africa was an exotic continent rich in history and culture, but full of sadness and suffering. I wanted to experience life in a way that helped others and was personally meaningful to me...but the question was how? As a teacher, I believe that every child has the right to be educated, healthy and happy. In order for this to be a reality for all children, it is essential for communities to have access to schools, health care, and opportunities for caring congregation. So when I learned about Youth Challenge International's programs which target AIDS, Education, Employment, Active Citizenship, and Gender Equality issues that affect everyone, everywhere, I was intrigued. I believed that YCI was the right fit for me because they truly lived out their mission statement of promoting youth development through community development. I signed up and was so excited to live in a village and help a community access clean-drinking water, learn English and stop the spread of AIDS. I was going to save the world! The country of Ghana was not part of the Africa I had dreamed about, in fact, my ideas of living in a village and teaching couldn't have been further from reality. I lived in Accra, a city with over 2 million people, where English was widely spoken. Though life in Ghana was not what I had expected, I wouldn't change it for anything, because everyday I experienced something that shocked and surprised my senses yet made me smile. Ghana was such a beautiful country full of beautiful people. The greeting Akwaaba which means YOU ARE WELCOME was spoken with such kindness it made my heart melt. It made me think about myself and how I barely look a stranger in the eye let alone say hello when I pass them on the sidewalk at home. Though at times, the hardships of everyday living were devastating to see, the vibrant cultural and spiritual strength were invaluable signs of wealth. From playing soccer with boys who wore no shoes to feeding spoonfuls of rice to hungry orphans, I realized no matter how little children had, their smiles measured a different kind of joy, one of deep appreciation and inner happiness. By nature, Ghanaians are so generous and have a charismatic rhythm. The sound of the traditional Djembe drums captivated me and inspired me to take lessons to create my own sweet beats. I will always remember the sights, sounds and sincere feelings of Ghana, as they are now a part of who I am, and I want to pass it on. My Ghanaian experience was also shaped by the three amazing young women I had the privilege of working with, and together, we proved to be a dynamic team. We called ourselves The Pioneers because never before had YCI volunteers partnered with YES- Ghana (Youth Empowerment Synergy) in an effort to achieve the millennium goals targeting youth. We researched and networked with key stakeholders in the electoral process, including the United Nations and the Electoral Commission of Ghana to create a youth friendly media campaign to promote active political participation in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. Never did I think, my Ghanaian adventure would involve composing and recording radio jingles which are now played nation-wide, meetings with the Canadian High Commissioner in Ghana or connecting with and learning from urban and rural youth about the power of peer education programs. I am so proud of my team and thankful for this unique opportunity to participate in YCI's Active Citizenship project, as I have learned that positive change is possible when people listen up, speak out and get involved in issues that matter. As I now begin a new school year with my students, I am inspired to bring the valuable lessons of compassion I learned in Ghana to my teachings. I want to set in motion the cycles of empathy, and redefine what happiness looks like, so that children see their lives through different eyes. I hope to nurture personal growth by building community connections in ways that ultimately empower Canadian children to be more active global citizens. Everyone can make a difference in this world and it all starts by making the decision to care! I have composed a new list of things I want to do before I die. I want to say Hello to a stranger everyday, check. I want to coach a youth soccer team, check. I want to support a Kids Care club to build connections at school, in the community, and around the world, check. I want to help build a school in Africa, someday! privilege of working with, and together, we proved to be a dynamic team. We called ourselves The Pioneers because never before had YCI volunteers partnered with YES- Ghana (Youth Empowerment Synergy) in an effort to achieve the millennium goals targeting youth. We researched and networked with key stakeholders in the electoral process, including the United Nations and the Electoral Commission of Ghana to create a youth friendly media campaign to promote active political participation in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. Never did I think, my Ghanaian adventure would involve composing and recording radio jingles which are now played nation-wide, meetings with the Canadian High Commissioner in Ghana or connecting with and learning from urban and rural youth about the power of peer education programs. I am so proud of my team and thankful for this unique opportunity to participate in YCI's Active Citizenship project, as I have learned that positive change is possible when people listen up, speak out and get involved in issues that matter. As I now begin a new school year with my students, I am inspired to bring the valuable lessons of compassion I learned in Ghana to my teachings. I want to set in motion the cycles of empathy, and redefine what happiness looks like, so that children see their lives through different eyes. I hope to nurture personal growth by building community connections in ways that ultimately empower Canadian children to be more active global citizens. Everyone can make a difference in this world and it all starts by making the decision to care! I have composed a new list of things I want to do before I die. I want to say Hello to a stranger everyday, check. I want to coach a youth soccer team, check. I want to support a Kids Care club to build connections at school, in the community, and around the world, check. I want to help build a school in Africa, someday!