Today I have a reason to post. I have a reason to sit and ponder about the little acts that I do to improve my circumstances and of those around me. I post in honour of the late Nobel Laureate Prof Wangari Maathai. Exactly a year ago, the world lost this great woman to ovarian cancer. Her spirit and her legacy lives on. Nature celebrates her as I do every single day.
A friend asked me how I manage to juggle a full time government job and global youth work. Without hesitation, I told her that global youth work keeps me alive. Knowing that I make a difference however little, feeds my zeal. It satisfies me to know that even though I do not have enough time to do all the things I would like to do, the little I do, makes a difference. The late Prof. Wangari Maathai challenged us to be like a hummingbird. That even in the face of great risk, danger and situations that seem impossible, personal effort and sacrifice matters a great deal.
Nelson Mandela said that sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. I believe that we can be that generation. I have observed with admiration as young people refuse to be used as puppets to cause strife. I have seen them assert their rights only after elaborating their duties. I have watched as young people born in poverty rise beyond their limitations to create better livelihoods for others. Young Ugandans assert equal rights for all. Young Senegalese foster democracy. Young Nigerians speaking the language of sustainable development. Young Kenyans rewrite the slum story. Young Europeans speak out against the curtailment of the freedom of expression. Young North Africans topple dictatorships. Young Togolese shed their dignity for better governance. I have seen them be the hummingbirds. Doing the little they can and collectively standing in the gap for their nations.
Can you imagine a world where everyone feels responsible to ensure that people live in peace. That the hungry are fed and the poor taken care of. That human rights are respected and duties honoured. A world where selfless service thrives and capital gains thrown to the periphery? Can you imagine? If young people can live it, so can alot of others.
You see, it does not matter what position a person holds in society. It does not matter how much time they have to spare. I have discovered that you can push yourself to any length just to see a passion fulfilled. Time is never a challenge. It is an enhancer. It should never be an excuse not to do.
We can be that generation. We can be the hummingbird generation.
