Youth a Poem

Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.

Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity of the appetite, for adventure over the love of ease. This often exists in a man of sixty more than a boy of twenty. Nobody grows old merely by a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals.

Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear, self-distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.

Whether sixty or sixteen, there is in every human being’s heart the lure of wonder, the unfailing child-like appetite of what’s next, and the joy of the game of living. In the center of your heart and my heart there is a wireless station; so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage and power from men and from the infinite, so long are you young.

When the aerials are down, and your spirit is covered with snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism, then you are grown old, even at twenty, but as long as your aerials are up, to catch the waves of optimism, there is hope you may die young at eighty.

Samuel Ullman

To ignore evil is to become accomplice to it

www.zimbabweschildren.org

Please go to this link because it has been said An individual has not started living until he can rise 

above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity 

Aluta continua 

The scourge of AIDS and the possibility of an AIDS free generation

The scourge of AIDS and the possibility of an AIDS free generation

AIDS is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges that our generation faces, however unlike previous generations we cannot complain of a lack of knowledge on the subject we have no one to hold responsible for the prevalence of AIDS in Zimbabweans aged 15-24.

The title includes the possibility of an aids free generation as the eternal optimist I find it difficult to say that this is nigh impossible for my generation. It appears the AIDS virus has a very permanent grip on the Zimbabwean populous with infection rates in the last 5 years steadying up and the availability of anti-retroviral drugs becoming more readily available albeit to a dissatisfying small amount of the affected.

 What has been most disappointing to those fighting AIDS is the reluctance of the countries leaders in speaking openly and candidly about this disease that affects a significant amount of their labour base. What the economical and political leaders have failed to see is that with the AIDS virus affecting the traditionally most economically active demographics in the population there is a lots of damage being done the level of skilled labour has decreased and this coupled with the ‘brain drain’ that Zimbabwe has witnessed has left the country in a very precarious position.

What can we as the youth do about this problem? Its simple let us use those practises that have been proven to reduce the spread of AIDS. Simply put SAFE SEX is the only sex anyone should be having no matter how trusted the partner may be. And hopefully as a result of this we can bring the prevalence rates down to manageable levels. The battle against AIDS is an ideological one as much as it is about resources until people realise that their behaviour affects those around them we will not be able to move forward .

A Luta Continua 

out of Africa something new

Ex Afrique semper aliquid novi - out of Africa something new

                                                                          Pliny The Elder 

It is amazing how though centuries have passed since the Roman natural historian Pliny The Elder wrote this quote that it still rings true. More accurately translated, as there is always something new out of Africa, I can not help but use it as inspiration for the faith that I have in the youth of our generation. We are in the unique position that we do not have to follow any precedents instead set our own. We come from a young country by any means and it is a country, which still has so much potential most importantly the potential within us.

In Zimbabwe we face a generational transition where the majority of youth below the age of 25 is in some way are crying out for help. Help that the rest of the youth we can provide. I chose to write this post as an update to let you all know that the struggle is continuing ( A Luta Continua), the war against Poverty against AIDS against ignorance is not one that can be won in one battle it is a war of attrition .

In the war against Poverty, I see the massive aid effort in Haiti and I am filled with hope I know most of you recently would know that the best contemporary musicians got together to re-record ‘We are the World’ what a huge gesture it shows you the seriousness of the situation and we should all be praying for Haiti. I then thought the last time they sang the song it was for the famine in Ethiopia, I became worried once the t.v cameras left the hype died down the people of Ethiopia where still left in a situation that was untenable the aid money slowed down and the basic problems that had been highlighted magnified by this natural disaster remained, Similarly in Haiti no one is talking about helping set up a good government a system in place to help the country in the future. If we are the world then the Haiti problem should be solved not only by money for the moment but by investments for the future.

A Luta Continua.

‘An icon for the struggle of life’

Nkosi Johnson

‘An icon for the struggle of life’

Nkosi is in many ways the very reason for this series of posts. Born Hiv positive Nkosi went on to become one of the most famous spokes people against discrimination he initially was not allowed to begin school because of his Hiv status a subsequent legal battle ensued and Nkosi won the right to school but the battle was won for all Hiv positive people. Nkosi highlights the power that one (voice a child nonetheless) can have.

Nkosi to me is the embodiment of the spirit I believe everyone should have and especially the youth of our generation. A child born with the odds stacked against him he managed to touch the hearts and souls of millions of people the world over. Its amazing that in a situation that to many would seem hopeless his hope seemed to spring eternal optimism seems a misnomer he was more than an optimist.

Nkosi has received many awards including being named one of south Africas most influential individuals this is a great feat to be named amongst great names such as Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu of course Nelson Mandela.I know I have chosen a South African as my first post and this isn’t very patriotic however I believe that Nkosi transcends such barriers as nationality race what he stands for is universal and it is a message of hope. I know that Nkosi is gone but his message and spirit lives on.

Next post I will look at my icon ‘in the stuggle for freedom’

A luta Continua

What sets you apart ?

“When you get to the top, take a seat. When the world sits down, stand. When the world stands, stand up. When it stands up, stand out. And when it stands out, be outstanding” – Tare Nyabadza

Throughout history there have been many men and women that have stood while others have sat that have shouted while others have held their peace. People that go against the status quo people that make history. I have learnt so much from many different people and I want to start a recurring post that includes people that have been inspirational to me. All great people where once children so we must ask ourselves what set them apart, and more importantly what sets us apart from the rest

Please join in the discussion and share people that have inspired you in any way.

Look out for my first post soon.

A Luta continua

'We Hope with nothing more than love'

''We Hope with nothing more than love' or 'We love with nothing more than hope', that is the nature of the love that one can feel for a country like Zimbabwe love with nothing more to hold onto than hope: it is the hope that keeps the nation going that keeps people in queues and the children in schools. In the newspapers and articles the Zimbabwe we are shown is a country torn apart by internal strife, we see a country in the vile grip of a dictator and his cohort of bandits. The countries resources are being plundered in what seems to be a last minute scramble to fill the already overflowing pockets of the kleptocratic regime.

But this is not the Zimbabwe I believe we should focus on the images of pain and suffering show a situation that is hopeless, I am here to tell you that Zimbabwe has never had more hope that it does today the prospect of what the country can produce in the future will shock and surpass even the most optimistic analysts. The language of numbers is often the most apt to describe the potential I am talking about. I can tell you that we expect to see an increase in GDP of almost 7% in the next year or that inflation figures have come down to 4.5%. Or that in terms of untapped mineral wealth Zimbabwe has some of the biggest reserves in Platinum and of course the ever-controversial diamonds in Marange. This wealth represents if managed properly billions of dollars of potential productivity.

How about the wealth that is not quantifiable, the wealth that analysts or prospectors cannot begin to discover. This is a renewable source of wealth everyday it is being added to, and to tap into it one does not need instruments for geophysics to tap into this we need nothing more than to offer our friendship and time. The youth of a nation are important their potential in the labour market is integral in increasing future economic growth. A lot of the youth I have been speaking with are being educated in the Diaspora I see this as a great advantage it is time to reverse the brain drain that other generations have been part of. We are going to have skills to take back home.

I know it has been a somewhat cliché build up to the main point of this post however I hope it serves to illustrate the point. I have a large response in terms of support from many young and able Zimbabweans the network of friends is beginning to grow, we are taking tentative steps towards a more social conscience youth. The skills we all have as individuals has been evident youth helping youth is a concept many people are willing to embrace I would like to thank everyone that has offered to help by offering their time and talents.

Remember one person can make a difference and every person should try.

A Luta Continua