My middle name "Ma-ih" means “forgive”.Bullied into depression as a student,I know that trauma is detrimental to learning and traumatized students can be dangerous for society .By advancing Peace Education (for students and educators to live in harmony with themselves and others), I hope to transform beneficiaries into agents of peace and restore education into the pillar of society it should be.
Inspired by Nelson Mandela's quote: " I dream of an Africa in peace with itself," we believe forgiveness is key to peace.#Afrogiveness Centre provides a safe space for survivors of conflict/persecution to heal,connect and uplift each other.We help them positively manage emotional shock as they understand the value of service and transform pain to purpose. We further imbue fortunate students with a sense of responsibility to help their less fortunate counterparts.
Through Arts Therapy, we hone their talents in poetry/storytelling,music/dance,drama/comedy and art/handicraft and convene the annual "Tolerance Show" on international day of tolerance, through which they use their talents to advocate for tolerance,forgiveness, empathy and peace.
We offer Purpose Scholarships to beneficiaries who transform pain to purpose by serving their communities. We harness their leadership, mindfulness and mediation skills and we advance the course for the introduction of Peace Education in schools.
#Afrogiveness, which started in 2018, as a small project offering psycho-social support to 100 traumatized survivors of the Anglophone Conflict has grown into an independent movement of 2000 survivors (including refugees from 8 countries),dedicated to championing Peace Education by promoting tolerance, forgiveness, human fraternity and peace while harnessing their artistic and leadership skills. Some of our targets have been orphaned, bullied, sexually abused, caught in stray bullets,forced into child militarization or street life.
We have featured on international media like BBC,VOA,France 24, Deutsche Welle, Africanews and have won the prestigious Commonwealth Education Award under the category:Education as a pathway to peace, Pollination Project Grant,Youth Movers Gold Award and others
#Afrogiveness won the Commonwealth Education Award, for its deep impact and its replicability/adaptability across 54 Commonwealth countries.
Replication can be done anywhere in the world by anyone intent on using the universal language of arts to inculcate in students, the values that thread our humanity and ennoble the world.They could partner with us, UN and their Education communities.
