Page 19 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 22
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Community
DEALING WITH SOCIETAL TRAUMA
A CASE FOR THE AFRIKAN BOYCHILD
The other day my husband said started with seeking to understand vision, and their mission in life,
to me that people don’t often cal- what the Kingdom looks like. That outside our social addictions that
culate what it means to live out is why I ended up in a seminary, restrict our societies and families.
your mandate in fullness, what and the only lecture I heard about So, when a person comes and asks
it looks like when you go to the the Kingdom was by a certain lady me, “What do you think I should
streets. Because your experiences who was fired after that semester do?” My question to that person is,
on the ground can actually wear because I think she knew her thing, “What are you here for?” Because
you out, they can cause you to and I don’t know what happened. if you’re able to answer that ques-
pause, they can even cause you Then after that, I did International tion, then you will not be seeking
to shrink back from the purpose Relations and Security Studies just to know what you need to do from
that you are meant to be living to understand global politics and other people, because everything is
out. There is a price that has to how they affect domestic politics, in you by design.
be paid, there’s a sacrifice to be international political economy, and
made. security. Yeah, that’s awesome. I com-
But when we engage ourselves pletely agree. Now, having
and make the sacrifice, the im- Understanding Afrika, Afrika’s role known you for a few years, I
pact that our lives can have on in global affairs, then I combined know you have a very serious
just one person or an entire com- that with psychology; how people passion for transforming young
munity of people is monumental. behave. Actually I really wanted to men’s hearts and impacting them
Today we are speaking to John take anthropology. But I think I will. in a really positive way. Could
Wills Njoroge, one man who has But the most important thing for you tell us a bit about that and
made up his mind that he’s going me is to understand how the world the why behind it?
to focus on transforming the functions outside the box. Actually, the drive is an empowered
hearts and minds of young men and dignified continent, a story that
and families in Kenya and Afrika, Okay. So if I can just go there a was born through my experiences in
in order to bring about a change little bit, what is your fascination life by, and I have, I would say three
that is genuinely transformative, with the way things were and players in that story. One is an elder-
and genuinely from the root of why exactly are you so interested ly lady, and then two men. So, the
the community, not superficial. in how things work and how they two men, one of them is my former
Thank you so much John for interrelate? high school principal, who got to
joining us, and thank you for giv- I think that, for me, the most know that I didn’t have a father.
ing us this opportunity to spend important thing is getting people And he became a father. So, he told
time with you today. to look at the boxes that they are me, “Anything you need, just let me
Thank you, I appreciate it. in, you know that thing of thinking know. I’m here for you.” Now that
outside the box. And sometimes story came from a situation where
We’re really grateful. Please they find it hard because the only I was involved in a strike, in school,
could you tell our audience about way to think outside the box for and I was among the students who
yourself, about your background, them is embracing the box that they led the strike. And so he called
and your experience and train- are in. What I find fascinating, for me and said, “You know, if I kick
ing? me, is someone who gets to a point you out of this place, that’s it. And
My background and training, I where they’re able to articulate their there’s no way I’m going to expel
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