Page 29 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 17

Leadership

globalists. Sometimes it can feel simply by creating them ourselves? around you without succumbing to
like every last ounce of our resil- With sheer determination and emotional or social stress. No, that
ience has not only been tested, but commitment to succeed, no matter action does not absolve the gov-
drained until there is absolutely what? What if we could redefine ernment from its responsibility or
nothing left. Increasing cases of ourselves, our families and homes, failure to perform, but what it does
suicide, domestic violence and mur- our communities, nations and con- is remind you and others that the
der, child abuse and other forms of tinent – by pushing back against the power to actually change things rests
social violence indicate a society that lies that have held us bound for so with you, not a faceless, nameless
is under intense strain, and threat- many generations? Now, wouldn’t bureaucrat in an office somewhere
ening to succumb altogether to the that be an amazing and worthwhile who is not keen to manage his or
ungodly pressures that they face on use of our time, physical, emotional her responsibilities well, or a Mem-
a daily basis. and spiritual energy? What if we ber of Parliament who only values
could just say “you know what, I you when it is time for him or her to
With all the chaos and confusion am tired of wasting my life waiting try to get your vote.
around us, it is easy to remain for that big break, let me just do the
focused on what appears to be the closest things I can, with the much Do Your Little is a reminder of
cause of our pain: the government, or little that I have right now.” social responsibility that requires
the Bretton Woods Institutions, you to get out of the little universe
multinational corporations, big That’s what Do Your Little is all that you have created around you
pharma, big agriculture, big finance, about. Taking our eyes of the seem- and to see what is really going on
a corrupt police and justice system, ingly overwhelming mountain of so- in the society, to care about it and
poisonous food crops, crazy econo- cial pressure that surrounds us and its significance to you, your family
my and so on. It is easy to do so, but focusing on one thing or two things and the entire community and to
doing so only limits our reality to that we can do to change things find a way to do your part to resolve
focus on things that do not actually within or around us. For example, things. So, if your part is knocking
determine our identity, purpose or instead of repeatedly asking the on your neighbor’s door during
destiny. They certainly can serve as government to step in and rectify lockdown to find out whether they
impediments, but impediments are a problem with the sewage in your have food that night or not and
only ever meant to be overcome community, when you are being offering to share something to help
– even as we use them to triumph repeatedly ignored – find that young push them through to the next
over the darkness of the soul, to engineering graduate and work out day, then do that. Many people are
gain victory over our own weak- a solution that can help keep your giving in to despair because they do
nesses and fears. Focusing on them environment clean and healthy for not know where else to turn. But,
actually becomes the one thing that you and everyone else around you. instead of finding your neighbor’s
prevents us from looking beyond It is not something that necessarily lifeless body hanging from the ceil-
the challenges to the opportunities takes cash to solve, because in your ing one morning, because they could
that exist DESPITE the challenges. midst you may have someone who not hold on for one more moment,
This is one of the things that has owns and runs a hardware shop, perhaps your intervention – will be
kept Afrika down and bound. some able-bodied men and women the reason why this person regains
who are willing to do the manual hope and is able to push forward
But what if we could do things labor to get things cleaned up, some with renewed zeal, just because
differently? Think differently? Talk taxi or matatu drivers who are will- somebody (i.e., you) took the time
differently? Relate differently? Love ing to foot the bill for rudimentary to check on them – even though you
differently? Teach differently? Act road repairs once the area has dried might have felt this was an incon-
differently? Take back control of off, and so on. And, even if you end venience. One woman in Marsabit
our lives in some way that helps to up being the only one working on who cared enough to find out more
restore our sense of dignity, that the solution for the sewage in your about a young mother living with
helps us to reconnect with our community – you will not only have an old woman was able to save both
identities, destinies and purposes? made a difference within yourself by her and her infant child from death,
What if, despite all the pain and the resolving something you were frus- just by asking a question. That’s how
torment that we have suffered, we trated about, but you will also have this works. That’s how immediate
could actually find light, hope and demonstrated to your community the results can be.
joy in the circumstances we are in, that it is possible to resolve issues

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