Page 14 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 17

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It takes a village to raise a child.

Abel Merawi, Addis Abba, Ethiopia

here is an African prov- division and individuality. Unhealthy grown-ups. Can we blame children
erb, “It takes a village competition is not the vocabulary when they fight, when all we have
to raise a child.” My of Ubuntu. Rather, this African phi- shown them through our actions is
Tgeneration and the ones losophy is the language of kindness. conflict and war? Where can we get
before us are the sole testament to Such an attitude is also found in the courage to tell them to protect
its practicality. From my childhood many Ethiopian cultures. This great the environment, when all we do is
onward, I remember that there has ideal can only be a reality when we throw trash everywhere and urinate
always been someone there for me: all unite and work towards the good on the streets? What gives us the
someone who checks my every life – not for personal success, but right to tell them to share, when all
publicly displayed demeanor; some- for building a wonderful world that we do is rob and steal?
one to praise my good deeds and accommodates us all.
condemn the bad ones; someone We ought to take caution of the
who may be a stranger, but with a For this task, we need vanguards words we utter in front of children
familiar expression that says, “I care that lay the future path. These since they have a tremendous effect
about you.” people are the ones who should lead on their development. It is worth-
the youth along the right path. They while to assume that there is always
The above proverb emanated will show our children the distinc- someone watching us, ready to learn
from the great African philosophy tion between right and wrong. I had from us. We can’t be angry at a
of ‘Ubuntu’, which means, ‘I am such guidance growing up, and it child for using racial, gender or any
because we are.’ It teaches a life saddens me to see that we are not form of slur. They didn’t invent the
of unity, a world of harmony and doing the same for the current and words, but only learned them from
compassion amongst everyone. It perhaps future generations to come. us. Every child tends to experiment
preaches love and unity, rather than I implore the ‘grown-ups’ to act like with the things learnt from the envi-

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